Special Needs Planning

ABLE accounts are a game-changer for families with special needs, but there has been confusion about how the accounts work. Here are answers to basic questions about what ABLE accounts can and can't accomplish for the special needs family.

It's easy to throw your new special needs trust into a drawer and forget about it.  While having a plan in place is a great start, the trust and related documents do need to be maintained.

Retirement plans often make up a significant portion of assets.  Can a retirement plan be put into a special needs trust?  As with many legal questions, the answer is "it depends." ...

Terminating a special needs trust is not as simple as merely writing a check to the remainder beneficiaries and calling it a day. There are several key considerations and requirements to keep in mind.

A new online calculator guides parents through the estate planning process by assessing the cost of everything their child with special needs is likely to need for the duration of his or her life.

A New Jersey man has been charged with stealing $330,000 from the special needs trust (SNT) of a man living in a long-term care facility.  ...

The duty a trustee owes to a beneficiary is a fiduciary duty which is the highest duty the law creates for one person to another. What happens, though, if disputes arise?...

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.

A special needs trust has been likened to a "parent's pocket" -- that is, it pays for the kinds of things that a parent would just reach into his or her pocket to cover.