Special Needs
Planning
Make your vision for your loved one's future known.
Special Needs Planning allows you to provide for the future of a disabled loved one. Our goal is to make sure that your vision for your loved one's future is known. A Special Needs Trust allows you to provide for your loved one with disabilities without affecting his or her eligibility for government benefits such as SSI, Medicaid, subsidized housing or food stamps. The Special Needs Trust can be used to meet any needs other than those paid for by the public benefits without affecting eligibility.
Establishing a Special Needs Trust is critical if your loved one is eligible for public benefits. A person cannot have more than $2,000 in assets to remain eligible for most public benefits. What would happen if you were to die and leave your child more than $2,000? In Massachusetts, if you die without a will and are a widow or widower, all of your property is divided equally among your children. This would make your child ineligible for Medicaid and SSI. Even if you have a will, but left an outright gift to your child over the allowable amount, he or she would lose eligibility for SSI and Medicaid. Your son or daughter would have to spend this money down to the $2000 limit before they could become eligible for benefits. We are here to assist you with special needs planning.