Originally published in June 2022, the original version of this Voice® article was prepared by attorneys practicing with retired SNA member Charlene Quade. The article was updated in 2026 with appreciation and gratitude for the original authors’ work, with revisions by Scott Suzuki. Marriage is a significant event in a person’s life, accompanied by excitement, [...]
Have You Heard About HOTMA? Eligibility Rules Are Changing for Subsidized Housing This issue of the Voice was written by SNA member Emily Starr, CELA, of Starr Traiger LLP in Worcester, Massachusetts. Serving central Massachusetts, her firm specializes in special needs planning, estate and trust administration, guardianship and conservatorship, estate planning, and elder law. The [...]
This issue of The Voice® was written by SNA member Angela Macey-Cushman of Macey-Cushman & Reilly, PLLC in Edmonds, WA. Her firm specializes in special needs trusts, long-term care planning, estate planning, and administration and settlement trusts. A Special Needs Trust (SNT) for a loved one is a wonderful way to provide support without endangering [...]
This issue of the Voice was written by SNA member Twyla Sketchley, B.C.S. of the Sketchley Law Firm, P.A. in Tallahassee, Florida. She specializes in guardianship, elder law, fiduciary representation, estate planning, and the prevention and maltreatment of elders and people with disabilities. Caring for elderly or infirm loved ones is difficult. It can bring [...]
This issue of The Voice® was written by SNA member Emily R. Taylor of Emily Taylor Law in Phoenix, Arizona. Serving all areas of Arizona, her firm specializes in special needs planning, estate planning, and guardianship and alternatives. The holidays are a time for generosity, and many families want to pick out something special for [...]
This issue of The Voice® was written by SNA member Ashely Shannon Burke, CELA, of Burke & Pecquet, LLC in Cincinnati, Ohio. The firm focuses on special needs planning, elder law, Medicaid and estate planning. Are you ready for when disaster strikes? According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), approximately 57 percent of American [...]
This issue of The Voice® was written by SNA member Michelle M. Mulvena, of Mulvena Winston PC in Stoneham, Massachusetts. The firm focuses on disability and elder law, including special needs planning, long-term care, Medicaid planning, guardianships and conservatorships, estate planning, asset protection, and trust administration. When a child with disabilities reaches the age of [...]
This issue of The Voice® was written by SNA members Thomas Begley, Jr., CELA, and Emily Schurr of the Begley Law Group in Moorestown, NJ. The firm focuses on all areas of elder and disability law, including estate planning, special needs planning, special needs trusts, personal injury settlements, Medicaid planning and applications, estate and trust [...]
Applying for disability benefits takes effort, but it doesn’t have to be confusing or isolating. By separating myths from facts and using the tools SSA provides, caregivers can move forward with greater clarity and less stress.
This article is an updated version of one originally published in August 2014 by SNA member Ed Wilcenski of Wilcenski & Pleat, PLLC in Clifton Park, NY, and now-retired SNA member Barbara Hughes. Studies indicate that divorce rates increase with the onset of a disability. While any divorce is likely to be disruptive, when one [...]
Navigating the legal system is daunting for most people. If you or a loved one is deaf or hard of hearing, the process can feel even more complex.
This issue of The Voice® was written by SNA members Thomas Begley, Jr., CELA, and Emily Schurr of the Begley Law Group in Moorestown, NJ. The firm focuses on all areas of elder and disability law, including estate planning, special needs planning, special needs trusts, personal injury settlements, Medicaid planning and applications, estate and trust [...]
Traveling with someone with dementia requires the right planning. Clear communication, managing expectations, and making accommodations can help you and your loved one have a great trip.
When contemplating an ideal environment for a loved one with a disability, a small group home is often considered, given its many benefits.
This issue of the Voice® is written by SNA Public Policy Advisor Brian Lindberg, Vice President of Health and Aging Policy with Healthsperien LLC in Washington, DC. We all know the real estate maxim, Location, Location, Location. But I am a public policy advisor, not a realtor, so my maxim is Relationships, Relationships, Relationships! Advocacy [...]
The Special Needs Alliance has crafted a legislative solution to a significant problem facing disabled adult children.
A critical decision for families establishing a Special Needs Trust is the choice of trustee. Many opt for a professional trustee to manage these trusts.
This issue of The Voice® was written by SNA member W. Seth Todd of Yussman Special Needs Law & Wyatt Estate Planning in Louisville, KY. His firm serves all of Kentucky and specializes in special needs law and estate planning. It’s that time of year again. If you are the trustee of a special [...]
This issue of The Voice® was written by SNA member Victoria Sulerzyski of Bowie & Jenson, LLC in Towson, Maryland. Her firm serves all of Maryland and focuses on special needs planning, elder law, guardianship, and estate planning and administration. Special needs planners provide expert legal planning and advocacy to and on behalf of families [...]
The landscape of Medicaid coverage is shifting. Understand how potential Medicaid work requirements could affect healthcare access for people with disabilities.