Special needs planning

Many people with disabilities rely on programs like Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid, which have strict limits on assets. A direct inheritance or gift, even a well-meant one, can disqualify them. A special needs plan lets you provide for your loved one while preserving those benefits.

Tools we may use

• Third-party special needs trust: funded by parents or relatives, it holds assets for your loved one without counting against their benefits.
• First-party special needs trust: holds your loved one’s own assets, such as a settlement or inheritance, subject to Medicaid payback rules.
• Pooled trust: a nonprofit-managed option that can work well for some first-party funds.
• ABLE account: a tax-advantaged savings account available to eligible individuals with disabilities.
• Planning for adulthood: powers of attorney, supported decision-making, or guardianship as your child approaches 18.

How I help

I help you choose the right structure, select trustees, coordinate beneficiary designations so assets don’t pass directly to your loved one, and draft the trust so it works with the benefit rules.

Common questions

Can I just leave the money to another child to use for their sibling?

That’s risky. The money would legally belong to the other child and be exposed to their divorce, creditors, or death. A trust gives you control and protection.

When should we plan?

As early as possible, and ideally before your loved one turns 18, when benefit eligibility and decision-making authority both change.