By Mary Waltari, Esq. Are you aware of the federal government programs available to minors? Some cover all minors and some cover only minors with disabilities. They vary from cash payments to healthcare coverage to a range of other supports. Cash Payments Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Children with qualifying disabilities whose families meet SSI's low [...]
By Paula Peaden, Esq. In-home services are often the key to keeping individuals with disabilities of all ages living in the mainstream community. But hiring and working with aides in the family home can be an emotion-fraught experience. Here are some tips. Think Through Needs Carefully consider exactly what services your loved one requires. These [...]
By Stephen W. Dale, Esq. The first ABLE programs have been launched in Florida, Nebraska, Ohio and Tennessee, and three of them welcome applicants from other states. Since accounts can be rolled over from one state to another, families throughout the U.S. may want to begin exploring their options now. ABLE accounts, which grow tax-free, [...]
By Katherine N. Barr, Esq. Only 17.8 percent of U.S. working age individuals with disabilities have jobs. For adults who have autism, a developmental disability that has skyrocketed in prevalence, the unemployment rate is 80% (The Economist, April 2016). On average, those with jobs only worked part-time and faced large pay gaps compared to the [...]
By Taylor Woodard, MPAff & MSSW, Program Associate, The Arc Janet Locke tossed her books down on the counter and got up her nerve. "Hey, Mom, there is something Lyn and I want to discuss with you and Dad. You two have done so much for Lyn all these years, making sure she had every [...]
By Jennifer L. Lile, CELA There are up to 134,000 children with "special needs" awaiting permanent homes, according to the National Adoption Center, and the demand is growing. In the context of foster care and child welfare, "special needs" refers not only to a child who has disabilities, but to children whose risk factors for [...]
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.
SNA attorneys have ongoing involvement with the wide-ranging issues faced by individuals with disabilities, their families and the professionals who serve them. Below is a sampling of posts from member blogs and newsletters. SNTs and Section 8 Housing A recent court decision has implications for special needs trust beneficiaries who seek subsidized housing. Read more. Nursing Home [...]
By Jane Skelton, Esq. Long-term care is expensive, and an older individual may consider Medicaid to pay for that care. If the individual has a family member or friend with a disability, a sole benefit trust could be considered. If drafted correctly, transfers of the individual’s assets to a sole benefit trust would hasten Medicaid [...]
By Christopher W. Smith, Esq. When a special needs trust (SNT) is being set up, families are typically most concerned about government benefit programs like Medicaid and Social Security. But how might an SNT impact an individual's ability to receive federal financial aid for college? The answer is surprisingly gray. Let's first state the obvious. [...]
By Elizabeth O’Brien, The Wall Street Journal
Discrimination Against Parents with Disabilities By Robert L. McClelland, CELA The National Center on Parents with Disabilities estimates that at least 4.1 million Americans with children under 18 (6.2 percent) have disabilities of their own. Every day, in countless ways, those moms and dads battle deep-rooted stereotypes as they take on that toughest of jobs [...]
This issue of the Voice was written by Special Needs Alliance member Lois M. Zerrer. Lois has practiced Elder and Special Needs Law in Springfield, Missouri for over thirteen years and speaks frequently on these topics for Special Needs professionals and families.
By Linda M. Gorczynski, Esq. For many families, negotiating for their child’s special ed services is highly stressful. So much depends on a young student’s getting the tools to prepare for adulthood. By law, every child with disabilities is entitled to a “free and appropriate” public education (FAPE), but coming to agreement on exactly what [...]
By Paula Span, New York Times
SNA attorneys have ongoing involvement with the wide-ranging issues faced by individuals with disabilities, their families and the professionals who serve them. Below is a sampling of posts from member blogs and newsletters. Family Case Study Planning for the long-term needs of a loved one with disabilities is a big job. Check out this case study about [...]
By Robert F. Brogan, CELA It was in late 2013 that the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), led by former Senators Tom Daschle (D) and Bill Frist (R), began studying the financing and delivery of long-term care. It took only a few months for them to assess the problem's scope. Long-term care is costly in the [...]
By The Arc "Vote as if your life depends on it," Justin Dart, Jr., the disability rights pioneer often known as the father of the Americans with Disabilities Act, implored us, "Because it does." Our core values call us to focus on voting during Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in this critical election year. The Arc's [...]
This installment of the Voice was written by Robert B. Fleming, CELA. Robert is a partner in Fleming & Curti, PLC, a Tucson law firm focusing on special needs planning, trust administration, guardianship/conservatorship and estate planning. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, and also of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. He has been a member of the Special Needs Alliance since its founding, and was one of the original co-authors of the SNA's Handbook for Trustees, the free online guide to managing special needs trusts.