Special Needs Beneficiaries Can Be Explicitly Included in Estate Planning

Special Needs Beneficiaries Can Be Explicitly Included in Estate Planning

2024-12-11T16:09:48-05:00Tags: , |

This article for The Voice® was written by Mark B. Heffner, CELA, a graduate of Harvard College and Boston College Law School. He is the principal of Heffner & Associates, a firm with offices in Warwick and Barrington, Rhode Island, focusing since 1992 on elder law, special needs planning, and estate planning. Mark is a Certified Elder Law Attorney, and became a member of the Special Needs Alliance in 2004. He can be found at www.hefflaw.com

Read More

The Pitfalls of Paying Family Members to Provide Care

2024-12-11T16:11:24-05:00Tags: |

This article for The Voice® was written by Courtney L. Fletcher, Esq., of Springfield, Missouri. Courtney is an attorney in the Estate Planning Practice Group of Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown, P.C. and has been practicing law since 1995. Her practice area include special needs planning, estate planning and administration, probate, trust and elder law, guardianships/conservatorships and Veteran’s benefits. Courtney is a member of the Missouri Bar, past president of the Greene County Estate Planning Council, a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and a VA accredited attorney. She is a past director of the Missouri Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and a past chairman of the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association Probate & Trust Committee. She currently serves on the Elder Law Committee of the Missouri Bar and is also a member of the Estate, Trust and Elder Law Institute Planning Committee. Please visit her at www.cecb.com.

Read More

What, Where, Why, and When must a Special Needs Trust Be Reported to Government Agencies?

2024-12-11T16:13:12-05:00Tags: |

This article for The Voice® was written by Emily B. Kile, Esq. of Scottsdale, Arizona. Emily is a partner at Kile & Kupiszewski Law Firm, LLC. Emily has been practicing law since 1993.  She is a member of the Special Needs Alliance. Her practice areas include special needs planning, probate, trust administration, long term care planning and guardianship/conservatorship matters.  Emily is also a licensed fiduciary. She serves as Trustee, Conservator and Financial Agent for individuals. Emily is a past chairperson for the Elder Law, Mental Health & Special Needs Planning section of the State Bar of Arizona. Please visit her at: www.kilekuplaw.com

Read More

Be Alert to Covid-19 Scams

2024-12-04T08:46:05-05:00

Rebecca S. Kueny, Kueny Law LLC, Salem, Oregon, focuses her practice on elder law, special needs planning and trust administration. She is committed to helping individuals with special needs live as independently as possible.

Read More

Customizable Visa Card Offers Flexibility to Beneficiaries

2024-12-11T16:14:58-05:00Tags: |

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.

Read More

Customizable Visa Card Aids Financial Independence

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

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.

Read More

Special Needs Trusts Do More than Protect Benefits

2024-12-04T08:47:46-05:00

Bruce D. Reinoso, Esq., is Senior Counsel in the Family Wealth and Estate Planning Department of Woods Oviatt, Gilman, LLP, of Buffalo and Rochester, New York. He concentrates his practice in the areas of trusts, estates, estate planning and elder law. Too often, families planning to create a third party special needs trust (SNT) think [...]

Read More

Special Needs Planning Benefits All Siblings

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

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.

Read More

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Is June 15th

2024-12-04T08:49:12-05:00

This post was written by Emma Hemness, CELA, founding owner of  Hemness Faller Elder Law, located in the Tampa Bay area in Brandon, Florida. She limits her law practice to elder law, estate planning and special needs planning, providing guidance to families with loved ones who are elderly and persons with disabilities. June 15th is [...]

Read More

Roundup: Special Ed and Coronavirus/ Coping with Early Dementia/Standalone Special Needs Trusts

2024-12-04T08:52:48-05:00

SNA attorneys have ongoing involvement with the wide-ranging issues faced by individuals with disabilities, their families and the professionals who serve them. Here is a sampling from member blogs and newsletters… Defining a Student’s Legal Rights to Special Ed During COVID-19 With coronavirus isolating families at home, how will special ed students receive the services so important [...]

Read More

Mental Illness Is the Most Common Disability

2024-12-04T08:54:16-05:00

This post was authored by Elena Lidrbauch, CELA, of Hickman & Lowder Co. LPA, Cleveland, Ohio. Her practice focuses on issues affecting persons with disabilities and older individuals, including special needs planning, guardianship and estate planning. In addition to her law degree, she has an M.Ed in rehabilitation counseling. Prior to practicing law, she spent [...]

Read More

Nursing Home Visitation Guidelines Cause Concern

2024-12-04T08:55:45-05:00

This post was authored by Kim Dayton, Esq., Professor Emerita at the William Mitchell College of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota. Her areas of interest include disability rights, parenting an adult child on the autism spectrum, and end-of-life decision-making. In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), a federal agency with [...]

Read More

Isolation Tips for Families with Special Needs

2024-12-04T08:58:08-05:00

This post was authored by Bryn Poland, Esq., of Mayo & Poland, PLLC, Baytown, Texas. She focuses her practice on special needs trust planning and administration, qualified settlement funds, and estate planning. She is a member of the Special Needs Alliance. Schools and day programs are suspended. Non-essential businesses are told to operate remotely. Families [...]

Read More

Who Will Protect Your Child from You?

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

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.

Read More

Self-Advocate’s Golden Gate Adventure

2024-12-04T09:12:01-05:00

Angela at the Golden Gate Bridge, which has long fascinated her. Late last year, we wrote about Angela Campbell’s approaching dream-come-true trip to see the Golden Gate Bridge. The award-winning self-advocate from Madison, Wisconsin, mentioned her longing to visit the iconic landmark during her acceptance speech at an event hosted by The Arc-Dane [...]

Read More

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

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

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.

Read More