Special Needs Trusts

The Special Needs Trust Fairness Act, federal legislation that will allow people with disabilities to create their own special needs trusts instead of having to rely on parents, grandparents, guardians or a court, has been enacted.

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.

What’s a trustee to do when a beneficiary wants to spend special needs trust money on cigarettes, a drink, or a naughty movie?...

In a groundbreaking move that could have repercussions in certain other states, California is the first state to phase out the requirement that people impoverish themselves before becoming eligible for Medicaid. ...

ABLE accounts and special needs trusts can accomplish the same goals, but each has its advantages and limitations. The best approach, depending on the beneficiary, may be to use them in tandem.

If you are considering serving as trustee of a special needs trust, know what is expected of you before taking on this crucial role.

The risks of designing your own special needs plan, without the guidance of a professional, far outweigh the potential rewards of cutting costs. Here’s what’s at stake.

An exception to the SECURE Act's otherwise stringent rules about distributions from inherited IRAs potentially changes longstanding advice about leaving retirement funds to a special needs trust. ...

A recent felony charge against the mother of a special needs child in Minnesota offers a good reason why professional oversight of a special needs trust may be a good idea.  ...