At Newman Law Group, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive planning for families with special needs children. If you are struggling to raise a child with a physical, developmental or mental disability, we can help you cope with the many financial, social and medical issues involved. We can show you ways to obtain the assistance you need today, and help ensure your special needs child will be well cared for when you are no longer able to serve as the primary caregiver yourself. We can also protect your child’s eligibility for Medi-Cal, SSI and other government benefits; help you find residential options and the means to pay for them; and help you address your own planning needs and those of other members of your family.
One of the most important tools we can use to protect your child with special needs is the special needs trust.
Special Needs Trusts
There are many different types of special needs trusts. In general, they are designed to maintain a special needs child’s eligibility for means tested government assistance programs, including Medi-Cal and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), while simultaneously creating a fund to supplement the services and/or care that are not provided by means tested programs.
It is important to remember that the needs and care requirements for a special needs child change over time. So do your financial resources, as well as the laws governing eligibility and benefits available from Medi-Cal and SSI. A well-designed special needs trust, and comprehensive special needs plan, must take into account the possibility of these changes. You owe it to yourself and your loved one with special needs to work with an attorney who has experience in this complicated area of the law. The consequences of a poorly designed plan can include the loss of essential benefits, and subsequently, the loss of access to desired levels of care. At Newman Law Group, we have helped many families with children of special needs obtain the benefits they need now and for years to come. Contact us today to discuss your particular situation.