Public Benefits

When it comes to child care the military generally tries to help families with special needs in a variety of ways.

Under federal law, you may have a disability for purposes of anti-discrimination laws but still not qualify as "disabled" when it comes time to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicaid.

Katie Beckett, who recently passed away at the age of 34, quite literally gave her name to a Medicaid waiver program that has allowed thousands of children like her to move out of hospitals and into their communities.

When you add a special needs trust to a financial aid calculation, things can get complicated because the regulations governing federal financial aid don't do a very good job of distinguishing special needs trusts from other types of trusts.

As part of this year's landmark healthcare reform law, the federal government is offering an insurance plan for people who have been denied private insurance due to a pre-existing medical condition. Most states will soon follow with plans of their...

Last month we discussed some initial things that every trustee of a special needs trust should do upon learning that the primary beneficiary has passed away. Now, we'll explore additional steps to consider when closing out the trust.

If you are receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicaid benefits, receipt of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) could cause you to lose your SSI or Medicaid benefits.

SSDI payments, like Social Security retirement benefits, can be taxed, depending on the SSDI beneficiary’s other income. Use this short primer explaining how the IRS taxes these benefits to avoid confusion.

Gift cards are popular gifts, but they can cause problems for recipients who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Consider a few things when it comes to purchasing a gift card for a person with special needs who relies on this...