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Special Needs Planning

One way to ensure your loved one is taken care of is through special needs planning. In this Elder Law Minute, Wes Coulson talks about planning for a family member with special needs, and how a Special Needs Trust may be beneficial for their future.

Special Needs Planning

Transcript:

Hi, I’m Wes Coulson, and this is your Elder Law Minute. This is a special message today to the families that have a special needs member and are concerned about planning for them.

You need to plan for a special needs family member through something called a Special Needs Trust. A Special Needs Trust is a way of setting aside money for their benefit in a way that it will be there for their lifetime help and support, but is not going to affect their eligibility for any benefits where the amount of their assets is a consideration in determining their eligibility. So if you have a special needs family member, give us a call and come see us. We can help with planning that’s going to make a world of a difference in their lives. Thanks!

For more on Special Needs Trusts and Special Needs Planning, visit these articles:

  • The Advantages of a “Stand-Alone” Special Needs Trust
  • Don’t Disinherit a Special Needs Child
  • The 9 Most Common Mistakes in Special Needs Planning

Dent-Coulson Elder Law is dedicated to providing families in the St. Louis area with their Elder Law needs. Our practice areas include Asset Preservation Planning, Veterans Benefits, Medicaid Eligibility, Alzheimer’s Planning, Special Needs Planning, Estate Planning and more. We understand the financial challenges you may face as you and your loved ones grow older. At Dent-Coulson Elder Law, our clients’ well-being is our number one priority. For immediate help, call (877)995-6876 or Contact Us and we will get in touch as soon as possible.

Special Needs Planning

Providing for a loved one with special needs in your estate plan requires that you be aware of and take into consideration some special legal and practical considerations.

A special needs trust can be established for the benefit of a minor or adult special needs child (or other family member) in either of two basic ways. One is to include the provisions to establish it as part of your living trust or will, to take effect upon your death. The other is to establish a “stand-alone” special needs trust which takes effect as soon you establish it.

Those with special needs are often dependent upon government assistance programs to meet their basic needs.  The two most prominent of those are Medicaid, which is available to pay for  medical care and supplemental security income (“SSI”), which provides funds to pay for the basic necessities – food, clothing and shelter.  Eligibility for both programs requires that the recipient have very limited financial resources.

A direct bequest to someone who is receiving Medicaid or SSI assistance can, in fact, do that person more harm than good.  It can, and most often does, immediately disqualify him or her from receiving government assistance until the inheritance is spent down.

Dent-Coulson Elder Law can help you take the first step to understand and consider the best way to legally assure that your special needs child or family member can be properly provided for, and assist you on the road ahead.

Give us a call today, or contact us, to start your Special Needs plan today.

Veterans Benefits O'Fallon ILFor Immediate Help

If you or a loved one needs immediate help with a planning matter or legal issue, please contact us, and we will get back to you promptly.

774 Sunset Blvd Suite 200
O'Fallon, IL 62269
IL: (618) 632-7000
MO: (314) 567-9292

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(217) 330-5500

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