THE VOICE

Customizable Visa Card Aids Financial Independence

This installment of The Voice was written by Special Needs Alliance member Stephen W. Dale, Esq., founder of The Dale Law Firm, PC, in Pacheco, California. His practice focuses on estate planning, and he is an ardent advocate for disability rights. He is a frequent national speaker on a wide range of disability topics, and has received both the Powley Award and Theresa Foundation Award in recognition of his work on behalf of individuals with special needs. He is a board member with the Arc of California, a trustee with the Golden State Pooled Trust, and legal counsel for True Link Financial.

2024-12-11T16:20:30-05:00Tags: |
Read More

Special Needs Planning Benefits All Siblings

This edition of the Voice is written by Benjamin A. Rubin, Esq., LLM, a partner in Rubin Law, with offices in Buffalo Grove, Chicago and Old Orchard, Illinois. The firm focuses exclusively on serving the families of children and adults with developmental disabilities, intellectual disabilities and mental illness. Having a brother with autism, among other significant disabilities, has profoundly shaped who Benjamin is today, including the type of law he chose to practice.

2024-12-11T16:22:01-05:00Tags: |
Read More

Who Will Protect Your Child from You?

This installment of The Voice was written by Special Needs Alliance member Joseph R. Gilsoul, Esq., of Gilsoul & Associates, Shreveport, Louisiana. He has practiced special needs law and estate planning for over 32 years and frequently speaks on these subjects to professional groups and the general public, including attorney continuing education seminars. Visit his website at www.Gilsoul-law.com.

2024-12-11T16:28:33-05:00
Read More

In-Kind Support and Maintenance – A Trap for the Unwary

This edition of the Voice is written by Leonard Anderson, Esq. Leonard is a Partner at Barlow Anderson, LLC in Anchorage, Alaska, where he has been practicing in the elder law field for more than 25 years. He is a member the Special Needs Alliance and his practice areas include probate, estate planning, guardianships, special needs planning, and trusts. He is a past president of the Anchorage Bar Association and is a member of the Probate Rules Committee for State of Alaska.

2024-12-11T16:39:07-05:00Tags: |
Read More

Mediation Promotes Relationships, Dignity and Choice

ROXANNE J. CHANG, JD, MS LLP, is an attorney specializing in elder and special needs law. She is also a Limited Licensed Psychologist, with a Graduate Certificate in Gerontology. Ms. Chang has experience in consultation and advocacy for persons with dementia, developmental disabilities, and other individuals with special needs. She also provides conflict resolution services, including mediation and conflict coaching. Ms. Chang has a solo private practice in Plymouth, Michigan.

2024-12-11T16:42:35-05:00
Read More

Finding a Balance of Autonomy, Support, and Assistance: Using Supported Decision-Making Agreements and Powers of Attorney

This edition of the Voice was written by Mark Todd Johnson, CELA. Mark is a partner at Johnson Teigen, LLC in Fitchburg, Wisconsin. The law firm serves clients of all ages and circumstances with wills, trusts, powers of attorney, special needs planning and trusts, long-term care planning (including Medicaid), and guardianships. He is the 2019-2020 president of the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.

2024-12-12T09:03:19-05:00Tags: |
Read More

How long do you have to work for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits if you are 30 and younger?

This installment of the Voice was written by Martha C. Brown, CELA, a Special Needs Alliance Member who has been practicing in the field of elder law and special needs for over 30 years and is a Certified Elder Law Attorney as certified by the National Elder Law Foundation. Her firm, Martha C. Brown & Associates, LLC, concentrates on the unique legal needs of the elderly, people with disabilities and the families who care for them.

2025-01-07T10:21:33-05:00Tags: |
Read More

Should a Special Needs Trust Pay for Medical Marijuana?

The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance member Kyle Moore, Esq., who practices with the law firm of Weems, Schimpf, Haines, Shemwell & Moore, in Shreveport, Louisiana. He focuses on special needs planning, elder law and estate planning.

Requirements for Reprinting this Article: The below article may be reprinted only if it appears unmodified, including both the author description above the title and the "About this Newsletter" paragraph immediately following the article, accompanied by the following statement: "Reprinted with permission of the Special Needs Alliance - www.specialneedsalliance.org."

2024-12-12T09:17:09-05:00Tags: |
Read More

Preserving SSI When Divorcing Parents Have a Child with Disabilities

Divorce is often a particularly stressful time for families. When divorcing parents have a child with disabilities, sorting through the financial issues can get complicated. Extra care should be taken to ensure that there are no unintended financial consequences and that the family is making the best use of available resources. Maintaining or applying for [...]

2024-12-12T09:21:26-05:00Tags: |
Read More

Sometimes Less is More – Alternatives to Plenary Guardianship

The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance member Timothy Rigby, Esq., who practices with Hart, Southworth & Witsman in Springfield, Illinois. The firm’s focus is estate planning and transactional matters, and Tim concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning and special needs planning.

2024-12-12T09:43:23-05:00Tags: |
Read More

Recommended Books for the Special Needs Community, Second Installment

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, & Price, P.A. The firm’s focus is to provide individuals who are aging or living with disabilities positive strategies to 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 a past president of the Elder Law Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association, a member of the SNA board of directors, and is repeatedly named a super lawyer in the field of elder law by her peers.

2024-12-12T09:45:02-05:00
Read More

SNT Beneficiaries on the Move: First in a Series

This installment of The Voice was written by Special Needs Alliance member Kristen M. Lewis, Esq., who practices in Atlanta, Georgia at Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP. Kristen is also a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. She is a frequent national speaker on Special Needs Planning, and serves on the Boards of numerous non-profits that support individuals with disabilities and their families. In her vast amounts of free time, she trains certified service dogs for Canine Assistants in Milton, Georgia.

2024-12-12T10:15:05-05:00
Read More

The Social Security Administration’s Special Needs Trusts Review Process

A Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipient is eligible to receive a monthly cash benefit when the Social Security Administration (SSA) determines that, among other eligibility criteria, the recipient’s income and resources fall below certain limits. Generally, the SSA includes funds held in trust for the benefit of the recipient towards this resource limit; however, funds [...]

2024-12-12T10:23:07-05:00Tags: |
Read More

Filing a Tax Return for a Special Needs Trust: What a Trustee Needs to Know at Tax Time

The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment of The Voice was written by Special Needs Alliance member Tara Anne Pleat, Esq.. Tara is a founding partner of the law firm of Wilcenski & Pleat PLLC in Clifton Park, New York. She practices in the areas of Special Needs Planning, Elder Law, and Trust and Estate Planning and Administration. Tara writes and lectures frequently on issues affecting individuals with disabilities and their families.

2025-02-10T13:48:37-05:00
Read More

The “Special Needs Trust Fairness Act” is Finally Law: Individuals with Disabilities Can Now Establish Their Own Trusts

The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment of The Voice was written by Special Needs Alliance member Morris Klein, CELA, who practices law in Bethesda, Maryland. Morris has been recognized as a Certified Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation, and focuses on elder law and special needs planning. He currently serves on the SNA Board of Directors, and is a former member of the Board of Directors of the First Maryland Disability Trust.

2024-12-12T10:29:48-05:00Tags: |
Read More

SSI Rules for Students

This installment of the Voice was written by Special Needs Alliance member Barbara Isenhour, Esq., of the firm of Somers Tamblyn King Isenhour Bleck, PLLC in Seattle, Washington. Barbara's practice focuses on government benefits for individuals with disabilities and estate planning for families with children who have special needs. A board member of Full Life Care in Seattle, Barbara frequently lectures around the state of Washington on issues involving special needs trusts and government benefits for the elderly and individuals with disabilities.

2025-01-07T10:22:40-05:00Tags: |
Read More