Assured
As·sured | ə-ˈshu̇rd
1: characterized by certainty or security
2: very confident
3: sure that something is certain or true
When Does Someone Need Financial Guardianship?
When individuals cannot manage their finances, courts can appoint guardians. Financial guardianship is for those who need help handling money. Depending on the jurisdiction, financial guardianship may also be called guardianship of the estate or conservatorship. In...
Should a Special Needs Trust End If the Beneficiary Recovers?
Not all disabilities are necessarily permanent. Take, for example, Talonda Mulgrew, who sustained a traumatic brain injury at age 16. Her loved ones assumed that her resulting disabilities would persist for the rest of her life. Talonda's family established a special...
Divorce and the Child With Special Needs: Income Deeming and Child Custody
Divorce is a difficult process for everyone. If you have a child with special needs, the choices you make during a divorce can have lifelong repercussions, both for you and for the child. As we pointed out in our earlier discussion of child support awards for special...
Supplemental vs. Special Needs Trusts: Any Difference?
Have you heard the terms “special” needs trust and “supplemental” needs trust and wondered what the difference is? The simple answer is that there’s no difference. Whether supplemental or special, the trusts serve the same purpose of helping meet the needs of...
The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP)
Members of the military who have a dependent living with a disability may face some unique challenges. Their disabled loved one may need special medical care, assistive technology, or tailored educational services. When on assignment, military families want to ensure...
IDEA 101: The Basics on the Law for Students with Special Needs
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is arguably the most important federal law for children with special needs. The law mandates that all eligible children and youth ages 3 through 21 years old be provided with a “free and appropriate public...
How Gift Cards Could Affect SSI Benefits
Special events like holidays and birthdays often include gift-giving. Gift cards are a convenient and common choice. According to Capital One Shopping, 54 percent of United States consumers buy gift cards as holiday gifts. Supplemental Security Income Benefits Before...
Social Security Overpayment Rules Changing Under New Leader
With a new commissioner at the helm, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has been announcing several policy changes in recent weeks. For example, one such shift in policy includes a decision to remove food from countable income for recipients of Supplemental...
Medicaid Coverage for Working People With Disabilities
Today, more than 10 million people in the United States qualify for Medicaid because of a disability. This government assistance program, in place since the 1960s, helps cover the cost of medical care for those living on low income. However, Medicaid’s strict rules...
Food Will No Longer Count as Income for SSI Recipients
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced a major change regarding how it calculates In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM) for recipients of Supplemental Security Income, or SSI. Beginning later this year, the SSA will no longer count “free food” as...