In a recent New York case, an institutional trustee has been ordered to pay back a special needs trust almost $180,000 for its failure to make certain that the beneficiary qualified for available public benefits.
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...
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 recent article published online in the AARP Bulletin Today highlights seven steps aging parents can take to secure their child's future. Academy of Special Needs Planners co-founder Harry S. Margolis is quoted throughout this helpful guide that offers...
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...
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.
Here are seven questions to ask before accepting appointment as a trustee of a special needs trust.
