Compassionate Special Needs Planning Attorney
Specialized legal services to protect and provide for loved ones with disabilities while preserving benefit eligibility and ensuring quality of life.
Overview
Our special needs planning practice is dedicated to helping families create comprehensive legal frameworks that protect loved ones with disabilities while ensuring they maintain eligibility for essential government benefits. We understand the unique challenges families face when planning for the future of a loved one with special needs, and we provide compassionate, knowledgeable guidance through this complex process. Our approach combines technical expertise with genuine care, ensuring that your special needs planning addresses both immediate needs and long-term security.
Our Services
Comprehensive legal solutions tailored to protect your interests and drive your success
Specialized trusts designed to supplement government benefits without affecting eligibility, providing for enhanced quality of life while preserving crucial public assistance.
Strategic planning to maintain eligibility for SSI, Medicaid, and other essential benefit programs while providing additional resources for your loved one.
Legal arrangements to ensure appropriate decision-making authority for individuals who need assistance managing personal or financial matters.
Guidance on establishing and utilizing tax-advantaged savings accounts specifically designed for individuals with disabilities.
Creation of comprehensive documents that provide future caregivers with detailed information about your loved one's needs, preferences, and care requirements.
Coordination of special needs planning with broader estate planning to ensure a cohesive approach that protects all family members.
Why It Matters
Proper special needs planning provides security and quality of life for loved ones with disabilities while giving families peace of mind.
Benefit Protection
Preserve eligibility for essential government benefits while providing supplemental resources for enhanced quality of life.
Lifetime Care Planning
Ensure continuous care and support even after parents or primary caregivers are no longer able to provide assistance.
Family Peace of Mind
Create security and stability for the entire family knowing that proper legal protections are in place for your loved one with special needs.
Frequently asked questions.
Answers to your questions, every step of the way.
A Special Needs Trust is a specialized legal arrangement that holds assets for the benefit of a person with disabilities without affecting their eligibility for government benefits like SSI and Medicaid. These benefits typically have strict asset limits, and direct inheritance or gifts can disqualify recipients. The trust allows for supplemental support while preserving crucial benefits that provide basic healthcare and income.
Special needs planning should begin as soon as possible after a diagnosis or identification of a disability. Early planning provides more options and security, allowing families to establish appropriate legal protections, explore available benefits, and create comprehensive care plans. This is especially important for parents of children with special needs, as proper planning ensures continuity of care throughout the child’s lifetime.
Special needs planning requires specialized knowledge of government benefit programs, disability law, and unique family dynamics. Unlike traditional estate planning that focuses primarily on efficient asset transfer, special needs planning must balance providing resources without jeopardizing benefits, address lifetime care needs, and often involves multiple caregivers and complex support systems.
While terminology varies by state, guardianship typically refers to legal authority over personal decisions (healthcare, education, living arrangements), while conservatorship generally involves authority over financial matters. For individuals with special needs, these arrangements provide necessary oversight and protection when they cannot make certain decisions independently. We help families determine the appropriate level of support needed and establish arrangements that respect dignity while providing protection.