Finding Answers – The Voice

How to Assess What’s Important to Families with Individuals with Special Needs in a New City

Of all the life changes we experience, moving to a new city can undoubtedly be one of the most stressful and challenging situations. For families with a loved one with special needs, moving can add additional hardship, so it’s critical to plan in advance and be proactive in focusing on making the transition as [...]

Special Needs Beneficiaries Can Be Explicitly Included in Estate Planning

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

2022-11-03T14:47:51-04:00Tags: |

When Should a Special Needs Trust Be Updated?

By Daniel Surprenant, CELA Special needs trusts (SNTs) are financial instruments designed to enhance quality of life for individuals with disabilities by supplementing the government benefits available to them. Assets held in SNTs aren’t counted when determining an individual’s eligibility for means-tested public programs such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Since personal circumstances [...]

Trust Protectors for Special Needs Trusts

The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance member Gregory Wilcox of Berkeley, California. Greg’s firm focuses on government benefits and estate planning for the elderly and for individuals with disabilities. He is a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) and co-author of Special Needs Trusts: Planning, Drafting, and Administration and of California Elder Law Resources, Benefits, and Planning.  He is a core faculty member in attorney training conferences given by California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR) in San Francisco, and frequent contributor of articles on special needs topics in CANHR's Legal Network News.

2022-11-03T14:49:09-04:00Tags: |

Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) – How to Open an ABLE Account

The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Pacheco, California, Special Needs Alliance member Stephen W. Dale of The Dale Law Firm, PC. Steve is a disability rights advocate and attorney dedicated to providing quality estate planning. He is a frequent speaker on a variety of disability related topics across the country. Steve regularly teaches courses to the public, financial professionals, and other attorneys on special needs trusts and trust administration. Additionally, he serves as the trustee for the Golden State Pooled Trust. Steve offers numerous videos and handouts to the public and his colleagues at www.achievingindependence.com.

2022-11-23T09:16:20-05:00Tags: |

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.

2022-11-03T14:49:28-04:00Tags: |

Child Support for an Adult Child with Disabilities

The Voice is the email newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance member Craig C. Reaves, CELA 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.

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.

2022-11-03T14:51:40-04:00Tags: |

Updating Your Special Needs Trust – Begin with a Self Review

The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Pacheco, California, Special Needs Alliance member Stephen W. Dale, Esq. of The Dale Law Firm, PC. Steve is a disability rights advocate and attorney dedicated to providing quality estate planning. He is a frequent speaker on a variety of disability related topics across the country. Steve regularly teaches courses to the public, financial professionals, and other attorneys on special needs trusts and trust administration. Additionally, he serves as the trustee for the Golden State Pooled Trust. Steve offers numerous videos and handouts to the public and his colleagues at www.achievingindependence.com.

2022-11-03T14:51:56-04:00Tags: |

What Are You Waiting For?

This week's installment comes from Special Needs Alliance co-founder Robert B. Fleming, CELA, 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.

2024-01-31T09:44:30-05:00Tags: |

Using Pooled Trusts In Estate Planning

The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance member Stuart D. Zimring, Esq. of North Hollywood, California. Mr. Zimring is the lead author of "Fundamentals of Special Needs Trusts" and co-author of "California Guide to Tax, Estate & Financial Planning for the Elderly" (both published by LexisNexis). He is certified as a specialist in Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Law by the Board of Specialization of the State Bar of California and is a Fellow of both the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel. He serves on the boards of directors of several not-for-profit organizations focusing on the needs of seniors and those with disabilities, including ONEgeneration in Southern California and the National Senior Citizens Law Center.

2022-11-03T14:52:30-04:00Tags: |

The Other Special Need: Planning for Those with Severe Mental Illness

The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of the Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance member Shawn Majette, Esq. of Richmond, Virginia. Mr. Majette was recently named to Virginia Lawyers Media 2010 class of Leaders in the Law. This program, now in its fifth year, aims to honor the lawyers who are setting the standard for other lawyers. Mr. Majette has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America in Elder Law since 2007. He is also an active member of NAELA and was recently the focus of the organization's magazine cover story, The Magician of Elder Law. Mr. Majette's many articles can be found on the t-mlaw.com website. Involuntary Civil Commitment is one of the most recent posted online.

2022-11-25T10:25:18-05:00Tags: |

Letter of Intent

The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance member Larry 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.

2024-03-13T09:34:22-04:00Tags: |