This past Tuesday, December 13th, the Cures Act, containing the SPECIAL NEEDS TRUST FAIRNESS ACT, was signed by President Obama and passed into law; this marks an enormous milestone for individuals with disabilities! The passage of this legislation establishes liberties for persons with disabilities which had been previously denied to them.
The Trump Policy Analysis Group (TPAG) [1] has convened to consider probable changes in law that will affect older Americans and those with special needs. Initial TPAG focus is on entitlements, public benefits, tax, special needs planning, and veterans’ benefits. We…
Being the trustee of a special needs trust is a very important role as it serves to protect the interests of a beneficiary with special needs. Often, a special needs trust is established so that the beneficiary can have the…
If you are an agent under a healthcare proxy for a loved one, you may be faced with some difficult questions and issues from time-to-time.
Caring for a child with special needs requires many resources, one of which may be Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
When a parent of a child with special needs retires and begins receiving Social Security retirement benefits, the child may qualify for SSDI. A lesser known provision in the Social Security regulation allows the spouse of the retiree to also receive Social Security benefits regardless of whether they are of retirement age or not—so long as they are caring for the child with special needs at home.
I have met with many families who have children with special needs. One of the most important questions that we ask is, “Was your child declared disabled prior to the age of 22?” If the answer to that question is…
As a parent, from the moment your child enters the world, you strive to provide the best life for them. There are always obstacles to overcome in day-to-day life. However, when a parent learns their child is medically fragile, these…
Russo Law Group, P.C. is pleased to share this article on behalf of guest author Robert P. Mascali, Esq.
In December 2014, the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act was signed into law, adding to the toolkit for practitioners advising elderly and disabled clients. The ABLE Act allows contributions to be made to tax-advantaged ABLE Act 529A accounts to pay qualified expenses for disabled individuals.
It seems that almost every day, the media reminds us that it is a National Day or Month: National Puppy Day, National Dessert Day, National Ice Cream Month, etc.
What comes to mind when you think of April? April Fools’ Day? Although you wouldn’t be incorrect, in the realm of autism, April marks the first day of National Autism Awareness Month.
Oftentimes when creating an estate plan, it is requested that a family member or friend be disinherited. There are many reasons why one would chose to disinherit someone. Perhaps the person creating the estate plan has already provided the family member or friend with gifts during his or her lifetime. Perhaps he or she wants to avoid disqualifying the person from government benefits. There might have been a falling out between the individuals. Or there might be tax reasons for wanting to disinherit.
No matter what the reason is, it is important to understand the potential pitfalls of disinheriting someone.