Parents who have special needs children besides from making standard elder care and estate planning decisions, must take into consideration how a child with a disability who may never be able to support themself will be taken care of after the parents die or become disabled. Failure to make advanced planning arrangements for a special needs child can lead to a disastrous situation for that child.
Special Needs Trusts
Special needs planning takes in consideration government funded programs as well as the families ability to provide for this child in the long run. Special needs trusts are created to deal with financial issues to help support a special child after the parents are no longer capable of taking care of him or her. Special needs trusts are created to maintain the quality of life of the special child. These trusts can be designed to take care of personal care issues, housing and other services for this child. Another name for special needs trusts is supplemental needs trusts.
Elder law attorneys help families make long term plans to maintain their special needs children after they pass. These plans provide for the financial security of special needs children who will unable to support themselves or take care of themselves. In the italics replace the word care with the word law.
Elliot Schlissel is an elder care attorney with more than 35 years of experience practicing law throughout the Metropolitan New York area.
