Special needs trusts
Leaving money to a son or daughter who relies on benefits
SSI and Medicaid have strict limits on savings. A special needs trust holds an inheritance or a settlement for your child without counting against those limits.
We meet the parents, and the child too when they can take part. We draft a trust that pays for the extras benefits don’t, like a phone, therapy, trips or a better wheelchair, and we name a trustee and a backup. Then we change your wills, life insurance and retirement accounts so the money lands in the trust, not with your child directly.
The flat fee includes
A third-party special needs trust
New wills for both parents
Beneficiary forms for insurance and retirement accounts
A letter of intent template for your child’s routines
A meeting with the trustee you name
What we do, in order
Most trusts are signed within a month of the first meeting.
- 01
Step 1: Meet the family
We learn your child’s benefits, care and what a good week looks like.
- 02
Step 2: Draft the trust
Plain-language terms, a trustee and a backup, and a say for your child where possible.
- 03
Step 3: Fix the paperwork around it
Wills, insurance and retirement accounts all point to the trust.
- 04
Step 4: Sign and file away
We hold the signing and keep a copy for your trustee.
What parents ask about special needs trusts
Can’t we just leave the money to his sister?
You could, but it would legally be hers. Her creditors, her divorce or her own death could put it out of your son’s reach. A trust keeps it his.
What can the trust pay for?
Almost anything that improves your child’s life beyond food and shelter: equipment, therapy, education, travel, a phone. The trustee pays the provider directly.
What about money our daughter already has?
Money that’s already hers, like back pay or a settlement, goes into a different kind of trust with its own rules. We set those up too.
Do we need a guardianship at eighteen as well?
Sometimes. Sometimes a power of attorney or supported decision-making is enough. We’ll tell you which fits.
Plan for the years after you
Book a family meeting. Bring your child’s benefit letters if you have them.