Public Benefits

If your child receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits and is going to turn 18, you should talk with your special needs planner about some important changes that could significantly impact your child's SSI benefit.

One of the greatest challenges for many individuals with disabilities is finding a safe, clean, and affordable place to live.  A new guide can help applicants and their advocates understand the complicated "Section 8" housing program.  ...

ABLE accounts are a relatively new planning tool available to individuals with disabilities. Here are details on the ABLE account programs of three states that allow out-of-state residents to open accounts.  ...

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that could influence how millions of special needs children are educated under the federal law that requires public schools to provide children with disabilities a "free appropriate public education."...

Many parents feel intimidated at the thought of attending their child’s first Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting, but with adequate preparation it can be an informative, successful and (relatively) stress-free experience.

Personal care assistants (PCAs) may be an option to give caregivers needed help. Most states provide personal care services through their Medicaid programs to help families manage the daily care of children, adults and the elderly with long-term disabilities.  ...

Parents are often very familiar with the government benefits their child receives, but many don't think about the effect that their own estate plan can have on those benefits. ...

The Department of Health and Human Services recently investigated more than 200 instances of fraud and patient neglect in Medicaid-funded programs that provide caretakers for children, adults and the elderly. ...

It is often necessary to modify a home in one way or another to accommodate a person with special needs.  But if the individual is the beneficiary of a special needs trust (SNT) and trust funds might be used to...