Estate planning is LIFE planning. From Powers of Attorney to Trusts, Wills, and everything in between, a well-crafted estate plan addresses who will handle your health care and financial decisions in case of incapacity, who will care for dependents and minor children, and how your assets will be distributed upon your death.
Under federal and state law, people with disabilities who have more than $2,000 in countable assets are typically not eligible for public benefits like SSI or Medicaid. This can be a challenge if a recipient receives money from a personal injury settlement, inheritance, or retroactive government benefits. A Special Needs Trust (SNT) can be a valuable tool to preserve excess funds and benefit eligibility. We have over a decade of experience advising clients on the appropriateness, uses and benefits of SNTs, including within the Life Navigators and Wispact trust programs, and assisting clients with SNT creation and funding.
If you’re a parent or grandparent planning for a child with special needs, we can help you design an estate plan that preserves the beneficiary’s access to public benefits. This may include utilizing a pooled and community trust with Life Navigators or Wispact. We also offer guidance on ABLE accounts.
We assist clients in planning for the possibility of diminished capacity and the challenges it may bring in managing financial and healthcare decisions. We help clients create estate plans that address long term care concerns in advance, using tools like powers of attorney for finances, health care directives, and where appropriate, asset protection trusts.
