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This installment of the Voice was written by Martha C. Brown, 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.

There are two types of Special Needs Trusts (SNTs), commonly designated as first-party and third-party SNTs. It is important to determine which type of SNT you have or need. This depends upon whose property is funding the SNT. If the property funding the SNT originates with the SNT beneficiary, then it is a first-party SNT. However, if the property funding the SNT always belonged to someone other than the SNT beneficiary, then it must be drafted as a third-party SNT.

This installment of the Voice was written by Linnea J. Levine who is a Certified Elder Law Attorney in Westport, Connecticut. Her law practice (www.linnealevine.com) focuses on elder law, special needs planning and advocacy including guardian and conservator matters, hospital discharge plan issues, public benefits, trusts and estates and probate. Linnea is a past president of the Connecticut chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and currently serves on the chapter's public policy committee.

The Voice is the email newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance member Craig C. Reaves of Reaves Law Firm, PC. in Kansas City, Missouri. Holding the CELA (Certified Elder Law Attorney) designation from the National Elder Law Foundation, he is a Past President and Fellow of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and a Fellow of the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel (ACTEC). He is listed in Best Lawyers in America and has been designated as a Missouri Super Lawyer. Mr. Reaves is an adjunct professor of elder law at the law schools of the University of Kansas and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He practices law in Kansas and Missouri with major emphasis in the areas of estate planning, elder law, special needs trusts, and planning for persons who have a disability.

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 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.

This week's installment comes from Special Needs Alliance co-founder Robert Fleming, an attorney at Fleming & Curti, PLC, in Tucson, Arizona. Robert is a long-time advocate for those with disabilities and their families. He and his firm help with estate planning, guardianship, and trust administration (including special needs trust administration). Robert is also an author and a frequent lecturer on special needs issues.

The Voice is the email newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Sarasota, Florida attorney Mary Alice Jackson, a member of the Special Needs Alliance and active participant on its Public Policy Committee. She is a partner at Boyer & Jackson, P.A., where her practice includes special needs and long term care planning, estate planning, probate and end-of-life issues. Mary Alice is also an active member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, a past Chair of the Florida Bar Elder Law Section, and an adjunct professor in the Stetson University College of Law Elder LL.M. program.

The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance member Hyman G. Darling, a partner in the Springfield, MA firm of Bacon Wilson, P.C. (https://www.baconwilson.com/) where he concentrates in estate planning, elder law, probate, special needs and guardianships / conservatorships. Before joining Bacon Wilson, he was a trust officer for several years. He is a frequent speaker for civic and charitable organizations. Please visit Mr. Darling's online profile for a complete list of his qualifications and accomplishments.

The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance member Larry H. Rocamora of Durham, North Carolina. Mr. Rocamora is a partner in the Durham law firm of McPherson Rocamora & Nicholson, PLLC, where his practice is focused on special needs planning and general estate planning. Mr. Rocamora is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, and he has been selected as a Super Lawyer for each of the past four years.

You are reading The Voice, a newsletter published by The Special Needs Alliance. Our purpose is to provide information--and answers--about special needs planning for family members and professionals. We hope this newsletter helps you. We would love to hear your questions, suggestions and comments; please feel free to e-mail us. We also encourage you to forward our newsletter to others who might benefit from the information here, or who might have similar questions.