Special Needs Trusts can be established to help a person with a disability or an injury who needs public assistance benefits. Generally, a Special Needs Trust is established to manage resources for the benefit of injured or disabled persons while maintaining their eligibility for public assistance benefits. This type of trust allows beneficiaries to retain resources like inheritances and personal injury settlements without disqualifying them from receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicaid benefits.

It is important that an attorney with experience in determining the availability of state and federal benefits be involved in the planning and preparation of a Special Needs Trust to ensure that benefits are preserved.

The attorneys in our firm can assist families in the following areas:

• Selecting a qualified trustee
• Drafting a Special Needs Trust
• Drafting a Special Needs Will
• Estate planning
• Financial planning and legal assistance for persons with disabilities
• Protecting personal injury/medical malpractice settlements
• Preparing a trust accounting
• Evaluating structured settlements
• Trust distribution