The Ruling That Could Change Everything For Disabled People With Million-Dollar Trusts
Katia Savchu, The Village Voice News
A Special Needs Trust Provides for Disabled
Sonya Stinson, Bankrate.com
Letter of Intent
The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance member Amy C. O`Hara, CELA and her co-author, Sheryl Frishman. Amy and Sheryl are attorneys with the New York law firm Littman Krooks LLP, specializing in special needs planning, trust administration, guardianships, elder law, and estate planning and administration. Amy is an active participant of the Special Needs Alliance publications committee and is a member of the New York State Bar Association. Sheryl's practice is devoted entirely to the advocacy and life planning needs of children and adults with disabilities and their families. She is immediate past President of the Board of Directors of Westchester Arc. Sheryl also serves on the Board of Governors and Legal Committee of NYSARC Inc.
Remember, Transitional Planning Works at the Other End of the Life Spectrum, Too!
By Catherine Goebel, MA, MS Ed., NCG-CGC, ILLP There is much discussion regarding transitional planning for younger individuals with special needs moving from high school to employment, day programming, or additional education. But remember, it is also essential to have discussions regarding retirement opportunities for individuals with special needs. Never before in history have we [...]
Special Needs Clients: ‘Retirement for 3’
Martha White, Financial Planning
It’s Déjà Vu All Over Again
By Mary Andrus, Asst. Vice President, Govt. Relations, Easter Seals Office of Public Affairs As Yogi Berra once put it, "It's déjà vu all over again." On May 16, 2013, the House of Representatives voted for the 37th time to repeal or defund at least part of the Affordable Care Act. Though nothing in Washington [...]
Does My Child Need a Guardianship?
The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance member Hyman Darling, Esq., a partner in the Springfield, Massachusetts, firm of Bacon Wilson, P.C. Mr. Darling concentrates his practice in estate planning, elder law, probate, special needs and guardianships/conservatorships. Before joining Bacon Wilson, he was a trust officer for several years. A frequent speaker for civic and charitable organizations, he serves on the American Cancer Society National Professional Advisory Committee and the boards of several western Massachusetts nonprofit organizations for persons with disabilities. He serves on the board of directors and has served as Secretary of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA).
Tax Considerations in Personal Injury Settlements
The Special Needs Alliance asked Jeremy Babener to summarize a presentation on tax issues in personal injury cases that he made at the Society of Settlement Planners Annual Meeting in Las Vegas on May 6. Babener is a tax attorney at Lane Powell PC and regularly advises on tax issues relating to lawsuits, structured settlements [...]
Thompson Bill Offers People with Disabilities Control Over Financial Trusts
Centre Daily Times
Caregiving in a Digital World
By Professor Naomi Cahn, Harold H. Greene Professor of Law, George Washington University Law School, & Rev. Amy Ziettlow, Affiliate Scholar with the Institute for American Values You've heard all of the advice about backing up your computer regularly, making sure that you have your passwords stored in a safe place, protecting yourself against digital [...]
Developing an Estate Plan for Parents of Children with Disabilities: A 15-Step Approach
The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance member Laurie Hanson, Esq., a shareholder in the Minneapolis, Minnesota, elder law firm of Long, Reher & Hanson, P.A. with the help of her law clerk, Christine Jensen. The firm's focus is to provide positive strategies for individuals who are aging or living with disabilities to help them live as independently as possible for as long as possible. Laurie concentrates her practice exclusively in the areas of government benefit eligibility, special needs trusts, trust and public benefit litigation, estate planning, and planning for incapacity. She is the past president of the Elder Law Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association and is repeatedly named a super lawyer in the field of elder law by her peers.
Making School Sports Accessible
By Scott Suzuki, Esq., Honolulu, Hawaii The U.S. Department of Education recently published guidelines clarifying the responsibility of public schools to make sports more accessible to students with disabilities. Although both the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) have long mandated that public education include sports-related accommodations, many districts [...]
How Will the Affordable Care Act Affect SNTs?
Shirley B. Whitenack, Esq., Florham Park, New Jersey Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a hybrid system comprised of Medicaid and state-based insurance exchanges seeks to extend health coverage to all Americans. How will this shape the life care plans that families establish for loved ones with disabilities? Will special needs trusts (SNTs) continue to [...]
Thinking It Through
What to Consider When Creating a Special Needs Trust By Katherine N. Barr, Esq. Many parents put off the process of setting up a special needs trust (SNT) for a child with disabilities. They worry about complexity and cost and that they'll be faced with difficult decisions. They may finally be prompted to call an [...]
Caregiver Burnout Hurts the Entire Family
By Heather Nadler, CELA, Tucker, GA Caregiver burnout is a destructive syndrome. Individuals become so involved with the ongoing needs of a loved one with disabilities that they neglect their own well-being. By placing unreasonable and unrelenting demands on themselves, they descend into a state of emotional and physical exhaustion. Their complete focus on the [...]
“Expense & Emotions in Preparing for Long-Term Care”
The New York Times
After the Evaluation . . .
"The child you take home is the same one you brought in." By Chris Kelsey, Board Member, Piedmont Down Syndrome Support Network Parents' first experience of their child's developmental evaluation by "the experts" can be pretty scary. They know their child well, and they know that he or she might not perform. They also may [...]
CCD Task Force Seeks to Improve Social Security Processes
By Ethel Zelenske, Co-Chair, Social Security Task Force, Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) is a working coalition of more than 100 national consumer, advocacy, provider and professional organizations, working together with, and on behalf of, the 57 million children and adults with disabilities and their families living in [...]
Tax Tips for Families with Special Needs
By Richard L. Sayre, Esq., Spokane, WA It's time to begin organizing your tax documents, an exercise that can be particularly confusing when a family member has special needs. Here are some suggestions to bear in mind. Exemptions and Deductions When a loved one has special needs, the cost of health care is usually a [...]
“Less Visible” Federal Programs Could Feel Budget Ax
By Bridget O’Brien Swartz, CELA As the 113th Congress gets down to business, it's all about the budget. Given the limited tax hike that was approved in the early hours of 2013, the long-term sustainability of many social services remains an issue and cuts appear inevitable. The question is where they will fall. Although entitlement [...]