Special Needs Trusts

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.

The government prepares a budget. Businesses and families prepare budgets. A special needs trust should be no different.

In many cases, the best way to provide monetary assistance to your loved one during the holidays is through contributions to a special needs trust. As an added bonus, a strange glitch in the tax code may make 2010 the...

Unless you are a CPA, you should never prepare an income tax return for a special needs trust. Instead, call your special needs planner to discuss what needs to be done.

A recent case from New Jersey should make you think twice about waiting to finalize that estate plan that you have been meaning to get to.

In some cases a parent or family member can handle the job of trustee of a special needs trust perfectly well, but in other cases the task can simply become overwhelming or create family conflicts. ...

There are plenty of advice books on the market for parents of children with special needs, but Reflections from a Different Journey takes a different approach, collecting wisdom for parents of children with special needs from the source: adults who...

Parents and grandparents of people with special needs have a unique opportunity to make life much easier for their children or grandchildren by creating a first-party special needs trust while they are still living.

If an applicant for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a needs-based federal disability benefit, transfers assets out of her name prior to applying for benefits, she could face a stiff transfer penalty that would delay receipt of often vital services.