Assured
As·sured | ə-ˈshu̇rd
1: characterized by certainty or security
2: very confident
3: sure that something is certain or true
Co-Guardian of SNT Beneficiary Lacks Standing to Pursue Beneficiary’s Claims Against Trustee Due to Conflict of Interest
A U.S. district court holds that a co-guardian of a special needs trust (SNT) beneficiary lacks standing to pursue the beneficiary’s claims against a trustee if there is a potential conflict of interest between the co-guardian and the beneficiary. In re Joyce C....
What Is a “First-Party” Special Needs Trust and When Is It Useful?
A Special Needs Trust (SNT) can play an important role in preserving the financial security and lifestyle of a person with special needs. A properly drafted SNT allows the individual to benefit from supplemental resources while still qualifying for public benefits,...
Child Support and Special Needs: Six Important Questions
Parents of a child with special needs know that they must plan for the child’s care and support way into the future. This is especially so if the individual is unlikely ever to be able to earn an income. But what happens in cases of divorce? How does the issue of...
Amtrak Agrees to Make Its Stations More Accessible to People with Disabilities
Written By: Andy Jones The nation’s largest passenger rail network has reached an agreement with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to bring its services into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was enacted in 1990. Under the ADA, Congress...
ABLE Accounts Offer Financial Independence for Beneficiaries Who Can Manage Their Own Money
One area that particularly vexes trustees of special needs trusts is how to get beneficiaries what they need without running afoul of the strict rules for public benefits like Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Monitoring how money is being spent, collecting...
Feds End Protections for Emotional Support Animals on Airlines, Allowing Service Dogs Only
Written By: Andy Jones The Department of Transportation (DOT) has finalized regulations that end protections for people seeking to fly with emotional support animals on airlines. Moreover, dogs will be the only species of service animal that will be officially...
IRS Issues Final Regulations for ABLE Accounts
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released final regulations covering tax-free savings accounts that allow people with disabilities and their families to save and pay for disability-related expenses without jeopardizing eligibility for Medicaid, Supplemental...
Healthcare Decision Making
Just as we create estate plans for our end of life, we also need to plan ahead for the possibility that we will become sick and unable to make our own medical decisions. Such illness or disability, in many cases, could occur long before our eventual death. Medical...
Strategies for Bridging SSDI’s Medicare Waiting Period
Getting benefits through the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program is a great relief to a person under age 65 who is unable to earn a living because of a disability. Its monthly payments guarantee some degree of financial security. An added benefit to...
Will People with Disabilities Have Priority for a COVID-19 Vaccine?
Written By: Andy Jones The COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly devasting to people with disabilities. Recent studies indicate that they are three times as likely to die from the virus as the general population. But as the pharmaceutical industry moves closer to...