
A Comparison of Special Needs Trusts and ABLE Accounts
A special needs trust (SNT) and an Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account each provide a tax-free way for people with disabilities to save money.

A special needs trust (SNT) and an Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account each provide a tax-free way for people with disabilities to save money.

When Congress passed the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act in 2014, it was a game-changer for families with special needs. For the first time, there was a tax-advantaged way to put money aside for dependents with disabilities without compromising their eligibility for government benefits. And, unlike a special needs trust, an ABLE account can be managed and controlled by the beneficiary.

Americans don’t agree on much these days, but if we can come to a consensus on anything in the current year, it’s that things are getting more expensive — and more of us are feeling the pinch.

The superrich call them “trust reveals” — meticulously planned events where the next generation learns who inherits the ski lodge … or the money needed to buy and board horses.

Thanksgiving brings families together in a meaningful way. People slow down, share meals, and settle into a rhythm that encourages real connection.

A revocable living trust is a valuable estate planning tool. It not only allows you to remain in control of your finances remain while you are alive and ensures they remain well managed if you become unable to manage them yourself (known as becoming incapacitated)

In 2014, the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act established tax-advantaged savings accounts for people with disabilities to cover qualified disability-related expenses. With an ABLE account, eligible people with disabilities can put aside savings while qualifying for public benefits such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

All trusts should be reviewed every few years to make sure that they are up-to-date with the law and meet your current goals.

More than one in three people with disabilities rely on Medicaid, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Jointly funded by states and the federal government, Medicaid is a public assistance program that provides health insurance to people with limited income and resources, including those with disabilities.

Many older adults plan to pass on their hard-earned assets to their children. In fact, trillions of dollars are expected to be passed down from Baby Boomers to future generations over the next few decades as part of the so-called “Great Wealth Transfer.”