Caregiver Agreements Can Clarify Family Roles
Paying a relative for care of a frail parent or of an adult child or sibling with disabilities is an option that sometimes solves a variety of problems. “Caregiver agreements”…
Income Taxes and Special Needs
As April 15 looms, people with special needs - and their families, caretakers and trustees - think about the same thing that preoccupies every other American: income taxes. But are…
New Law Allows Veteran Retirement to Special Needs Trust for Child
Prior to 2015, members of and retirees from the military could not designate any portion of their military Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) to a special needs trust ("SNT") for a…
Parent’s Trust Decanted to Special Needs Trusts Held Not Available Assets
Plaintiff Dawn Simonsen is a 57-year old quadriplegic requiring ventilator care. Her mother created two inter vivos (living) trusts for Dawn's benefit. The trusts contained the following wording: “The trustee…
Representative Payee for Social Security Benefits
The Social Security Administration (SSA) disability program is the primary government benefit that provides income to people with disabilities. If individuals with a disability are unable to work and have…
Richard Courtney Testifies Before Congress
Richard A. Courtney, President of the Special Needs Alliance (SNA) and principal in the Courtney Elder Law Associates section of Frascogna Courtney, PLLC, testified Friday, September 18 before the U.S.…
Siblings Don’t Always Make the Best Trustees
As the parent of a child with disabilities, you may already know that you have to establish a trust to handle any inheritance you leave for your son or daughter.…
Back-to-School Tips for Children with Special Needs
Courtney Elder Law Associates Law Firm, released an article discussing "Back-to-School Tips for Children with Special Needs ", if you would like to know more Please continue reading here. As…
More Autistic People or More Diagnoses?
A new study from the British Medical Journal suggests that outside factors ranging from diagnosis methods to socioeconomic status may have inflated reports that suggest rates of autism are spiking.…
A Wake up Call for Special Needs Trustees and Parents
A fairly recent court decision, In the Matter of Mark C.H., involved the obligations of the trustee of a special needs trust, and serves as the focus of this issue…