Special Needs Trust Archives | Grady H. Williams, Jr. LL.M, Attorneys at Law

Category archives: Special Needs Trust

Five Questions to Ask Before Settling a Personal Injury Lawsuit
2 weeks ago
When personal injury lawsuits are settled, the underlying settlement figure may be less than initially meets the eye due to attorneys’ fees, expenses and other costs. To ensure the resulting settlement best protects the plaintiff's long-term financial interests, as well as their health and quality o... [read more]

IRA Distributions to SNTs: Minimizing Income Taxes
3 weeks ago
For many parents, the majority of their savings is held in some kind of a retirement account, often an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). At age 70 1/2, an IRA account holder faces the Required Beginning Date, when he or she must take mandatory distributions from the IRA. These payments are determ... [read more]

Who Can Set Up the ABLE Account?
2 months ago
ABLE accounts, new tax-free saving accounts for people with disabilities, hold great promise for special needs planning. But among the many questions surrounding ABLE plans is who can open accounts? Only the person with a disability? Parents? Other relatives? Friends? Created by Congress vi... [read more]

On Life Support for Two Years, Program That Moves People Out of Institutions Is Closer to Reauthorization
3 months ago
After expiring two years ago, a program that helps people with disabilities transition out of institutions and into the community appears to be headed for renewed funding and even improvement. The Ensuring Medicaid Provides Opportunities for Widespread Equity, Resources, and Care (EMPOWER) Ca... [read more]

Are 529 Plans the Best Way to Save for SSI Beneficiaries’ Education Expenses?
3 months ago
For many families, Section 529 College Savings Plans are an excellent investment tool when saving money for their child’s educational expenses. But if the child obtains Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, families should be cautious in using a Section 529 plan. 529 plans, named for a pro... [read more]

Senate Bill Would Set Up Federal Office of Disability Policy
4 months ago
Each year, hundreds of bills and regulations are proposed with little if any analysis of how they will affect the lives of people with disabilities. If signed into law, a new Senate bill, titled the Office of Disability Policy Act of 2018, would change this. Introduced July 24, the legislation wo... [read more]

Grady H. Williams, Jr., LL.M., Attorneys at Law, P.A. Open Local Office in Julington Creek
5 months ago
To better serve our clients and their families who live or work in Julington Creek, St. Johns, Fruit Cove, Switzerland, Orangedale, Mandarin, and surrounding areas, we have opened a local office conveniently located in the Julington Creek Business Park at 12627 San Jose Boulevard, Suite 102-A, Jacks... [read more]

SSA Liberalizes Rules on When Special Needs Trusts Can Reimburse Family Members for Travel
5 months ago
Travel is sometimes necessary when a family has a child with special needs. Family members may need to visit the person with special needs, or a medical emergency may require travel to care for the loved one, or the family may simply want to take the child with special needs on vacation. For... [read more]

Feds Expand Oversight of Representative Payees for SSDI and SSI Recipients
6 months ago
For most Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries, the Social Security Administration (SSA) issues monthly checks directly to the recipients. However, where the recipients are incapable of making their own financial decisions, the SSA sends the... [read more]

SNT Is Created in Excessive Force Settlement Between Man With Schizophrenia and Police
7 months ago
In an underreported case involving police violence, the state of California has agreed to pay nearly $1 million to a man with schizophrenia. The money will be placed in a special needs trust (SNT) to enhance the man’s quality of life while preserving his eligibility for public benefits. On D... [read more]

SSA Gives Guidance on the Use of Prepaid Debit Cards by Special Needs Trust Beneficiaries
7 months ago
Trustees of special needs trusts are increasingly relying on “administrator-managed prepaid debit cards,” such as True Link cards, when disbursing funds to beneficiaries. These cards offer trust beneficiaries greater independence and the ability to get what they need more quickly. But such cards e... [read more]

The Importance of Special Needs Trusts
7 months ago
Special Needs Trusts are an important part of Estate Planning for clients whose family members have disabilities or chronic illness. A Special Needs Trust (also referred to as a Supplemental Needs Trust) helps beneficiaries receive their inheritance while also following important guidelines regardin... [read more]