Special Needs Trusts

Planning for special needs beneficiaries requires particular care and the participation of your estate planning attorney, your financial advisor, and often your life insurance agent. Special needs planning can be the determining factor in an eligibility determination for government services, and should not be delayed. An effective Special Needs Trust will provide resources for a special needs beneficiary without disqualifying them from government services such as SSI and Medicaid.

As we all know, special needs individuals are particularly vulnerable to financial predators, some of whom search probate records for information concerning inheritances. The fact that a Special Needs Trust is not subject to the probate process is tremendously reassuring. A term life insurance policy is often used to fund a Special Needs Trust. Aside from lower insurance rates, it is advantageous to establish a Special Needs Trust early to allow other family members to name the Special Needs Trust as a beneficiary in their estate planning.