Public Benefits

Qualified Disability Trusts Can Offer Tax Savings

Some special needs trusts may be eligible for considerable tax savings. Here's how.

Health Care Reform Offers Something Old, Something New for People With Special Needs

Although it took more than a year of back and forth, a comprehensive health care reform bill and an associated reconciliation bill finally passed both houses of Congress. We have highlighted some of the most important features of health care...

What Can My Special Needs Trust Pay for Without Affecting My Disability Benefits?

One of the most commonly asked questions about special needs trusts is what can the trusts pay for without affecting the beneficiary's public assistance?...

Three Big Differences Between SSI and SSDI

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) are both federal programs that provide cash payments to people who meet the federal definition of "disabled." But the similarities between the two programs end there. Here are the three...

Bill Dangles Funding Hope for Families Caring for People with Disabilities

Pending federal legislation could provide vital funds to states for home and community-based services for people with disabilities, offering hope and relief to hundreds of thousands of Americans currently on waiting lists for Medicaid waivers...

High Court Rules Special Needs Parents Don't Need Lawyers in IDEA Suits

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that parents of special needs children do not need to hire a lawyer to sue a school district over their children's special education needs.

Hungry for Support: More Likely to Be Food-Insecure, People with Disabilities Have Difficulty Getting Assistance

People with disabilities are more likely to lack adequate nutrition and they find it hard to get nutritional help — or even recognition — from the federal government’s SNAP (food stamp) program.

Tax Tips for People with Special Needs and Their Families

April 15th is right around the corner, which means that it is time to file yet another personal income tax return. If you or a loved one with special needs think that you need to file a return, here are...