Special Needs Trust: Giving Your Loved Ones a Boost

SPECIAL NEEDS TRUSTGIVES AN ADDED BOOST TO YOUR LOVED ONE

Have you been told that your son or daughter, who has a disability, is not allowed to inherit money?  It's true, an inheritance will interrupt his or her SSI and Medicaid.  Therefore, someone who is disabled cannot inherit more than $2,000 because it will interrupt his or her government benefits.

There is an easy way around this problem. You can leave money for your son or daughter, without interfering with the public benefits.  Just ask your attorney for a Special Needs Trust.

There are three main types of special needs trusts. For an explanation of the types of trusts available, click on 3 types. 

If you set up a special needs trust of this type, the trustee can buy many of the things your son or daughter will need.

The trust can pay for an advocate to make sure your loved one gets the services he or she needs when you aren't there to help out.  The trust can pay for vacations, social events, and sporting goods.

If Medicaid won’t pay for certain medical care or treatments, the trust can step in and provide those. Occasionally, people with mental disabilities are targeted by the police and wrongly accused of crimes; if your son or daughter has a special needs trust, the trust can pay for a good legal defense