Planning “Do’s and Don’ts” for Special Needs Families
Children and adults with disabilities face plenty of tough challenges in life. As the parent of an adult child with disabilities, I know! Failure to plan will lead to even…
Can Daddy Sign a Will or Power of Attorney?
When a spouse or parent has been diagnosed with dementia or some other condition that affects cognition, the family members may conclude (or be told by others) that the person…
12 Free Preventive Services Medicare Provides
Retirees are entitled to a variety of preventive tests and services once they sign up for Medicare at age 65. Some of these screenings are provided with no out-of-pocket costs…
Developing an Estate Plan for Parents of Children with Disabilities: A 15-Step Approach
October is Special Needs Planning Month. A large part of our practice at Courtney Elder Law Associates is helping the families of children and adults with disabilities plan for their…
Celebrating Sixty Years of Social Security Disability Insurance
When President Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act in 1935, he saw it as an innovative way to provide economic security for American workers. His advisers also envisioned disability insurance…
Court Clerk Wrong About Special Needs Trust for Wife
We often draft special needs trusts to hold funds for the care and benefit of an incapacitated spouse or child in a way that those funds will not disqualify that…
Court Rules Special Needs Trust Payments Not Disqualifying Income for HUD
In March 2015, a federal court ruled that distributions from a special needs trust that held a litigation settlement were countable as income that terminated HUD housing assistance. In June…
Tips for Negotiating the Best IEP
By: Linda M. Gorczynski, Esq. For many families, negotiating for their child’s special ed services is highly stressful. So much depends on a young student’s getting the tools to prepare…
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…