It seems everyone knows at least someone with special needs, whether it be a family member, a church member, or a friend. When it come to estate and financial planning, the term “special needs” applies to family members who cannot, for some reason, take care of themselves. The reasons are varied, whether it be a child with a condition, such as Down’s syndrome, a teenager with mental problems, or an elderly person with a condition like dementia or Alzheimer. Another reason someone may need special needs planning can be someone with a physical disability, such as a quadriplegic, or many other disabilities.
Most of our clients who come to us wanting special needs are parents or grandparents that need special needs planning for their children or grandchildren. Most clients are people who want to provide for their special needs family member through inheritance, however, leaving money as inheritance or life insurance to a special needs person will usually not improve their life, in fact, it generally has a detrimental effect on their financial well-being and stability.
One of the main reasons why leaving inheritance or life insurance benefits to a special needs person can be detrimental is that it can disqualify a special needs member from Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSI is a federal financial support program that gives money to special needs individuals. Medicaid is another federal and state program that gives financial support to special needs individuals. Your inheritance can disqualify the special needs person from Medicaid support as well, since in order to qualify for Medicaid a person must have less than $2,000 in assets (which is really, really low for someone with special needs).
Special needs estate planning can help give your family member with special needs the ability to qualify for federal and state financial support programs, while also inheriting some money from your estate. Making sure your family member with special needs is left with enough money to support their health, care, and maintenance costs, while at the same time qualifying for federal programs, requires complex planning that is best done with the advice of a qualified attorney. Skillern Law Firm, PLLC is happy to explain the benefits and inter-workings of special needs estate planning. Please call today to schedule your free appointment.
