Mississippi Special Needs Attorney

hildren and adults with disabilities need specialized planning.  Available financial and healthcare resources must be found.  Government benefit applications must be filed.  Capable managers must be engaged to handle those resources.  Caregivers must be hired.

At Courtney Elder Law Associates, we help with these and other aspects of care for persons with disabilities.  We provide comprehensive, effective planning for families with special needs children and adults. We can:

• Help you qualify and apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicaid and other government benefits
• Maximize public and private resources available to you and your loved one with a disability
• Design and implement various “special needs trusts” to hold and manage resources to pay for care
• Address the financial and care needs of other members of your family

Our founder, Richard Courtney, is the parent of an adult daughter born with cerebral palsy and learning disabilities. We understand what clients are going through on a personal level, and can help navigate the many financial, social and medical issues involved.  In May 2009, he was awarded the 15th Annual Theresa Award by the New York-based Theresa Foundation, for community service and professional advocacy on behalf of children and adults with special needs.  He has been quoted and published on special needs topics in Exceptional Parent magazine and USA/Today.

Special Needs Trusts

There are several types of special needs trusts intended to provide capable management of assets and maintain eligibility for public benefits for a person with a disability.

• There are many different Medicaid and other public assistance programs available, and each has its own set of rules for eligibility.
• Care requirements for a special needs child change over time, as do the financial resources of the child’s family.
• Laws governing eligibility and available benefits constantly change as well.
• Planning and trusts for family estate planning for a disabled child are different than those for a recipient of a litigation settlement or inheritance.

We also provide services related to litigation settlements, including Qualified Settlement Fund administration and creation of Medicare Set-Aside Funds to protect Medicare benefits for injured persons.

Special needs planning requires specialized legal knowledge of public benefits and trust drafting requirements. We will use our experience, knowledge of the law and close relationships with numerous agencies, professionals and service providers to secure your financial security and health care plans.