Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.) introduced the Special Needs Trust Fairness Act of 2013, a bill that would allow people with disabilities to create first-party special needs trusts to hold their assets without interfering with their access to Supplemental Security Income...
Despite being the beneficiary of a multi-million dollar special needs trust, Mark Holman never saw a cent until a New York judge intervened. The case illustrates the difficulties those creating trusts face when choosing a trustee for a special needs...
A new bill introduced for the third straight session of Congress hopes to phase out the two year waiting period before SSDI beneficiaries receive Medicare.
There are many ways to provide private housing for a person with special needs without compromising the majority of her means-based government benefits. This article highlights several options for families thinking about purchasing a home for a person with...
A California jury recently returned a $23 million verdict against a contractor who took advantage of a trustee of a special needs trust who suffered from depression and substance abuse. While the contractor's actions were egregious, the case also highlights...
A recent story on National Public Radio’s "All Things Considered" featured Academy of Special Needs Planners member attorney Theresa Varnet. ...
Unfortunately, too many trustees of special needs trusts or those who oversee funds for people with special needs don't even know that they have a duty to account for the funds they manage, let alone perform that duty correctly.
A new law just passed by Congress and signed by President Obama will allow people with disabilities who became disabled before they turned 26 to set aside up to $14,000 a year in tax-free savings accounts without affecting their eligibility...
A bill that would allow retired military service members to name special needs trusts as beneficiaries of their Survivor Benefit Plans has been reintroduced in Congress.
