Protecting the Financial Future of Children with Special Needs – Annapolis and Towson Estate Planning

Experts say that learning about the special needs of a child early allows parents to have the chance to begin planning immediately, which can give parents peace of mind.

Fox 25 in Oklahoma City’s recent article entitled “How a document could protect the financial future of a child with special needs” recommends that you become knowledgeable about your health insurance coverage.

Note that your child will probably need to apply for government assistance at some point, because at age 26 he will age out of his parent’s insurance.

Securing the future of a child with special needs all the way to adulthood can be very difficult.

Leaving a child with special needs money you have saved could be helpful— but it could place their benefits at risk. Instead, a supplemental trust, called a special needs trust, is the way to plan, so they have everything they need.

With a trust in place, the child would need to pay for expenses in the areas not covered by the government programs.

With a special needs trust, the child has no way to access the income or these assets unless they have a need.

A special needs trust is usually drafted by an estate planning attorney or elder law attorney. This type of trust allows you to leave money or property to a loved one with a disability. These assets are placed in the trust. If you gift them outright, you could risk your loved one’s ability to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid benefits. By creating a special needs trust, you can avoid some of these problems.

Naming a guardian for your child with special needs is also very important. A guardian could help make life decisions, if the parent passes away. Therefore, make certain that it’s someone you trust. This may include a legal professional.

Reference: Fox 25 (Oklahoma City) (Jan. 27, 2020) “How a document could protect the financial future of a child with special needs”

Sims & Campbell, LLC – Annapolis and Towson Estate Planning Attorneys

How Can I Fund A Special Needs Trust? – Annapolis and Towson Estate Planning

TapInto’s recent article entitled “Ways to Fund Special Needs Trusts” says that when sitting down to plan a special needs trust, one of the most urgent questions is, “When it comes to funding the trust, what are my options?”

There are four main ways to build up a third-party special needs trust. One way is to contribute personal assets, which in many cases come from immediate or extended family members. Another possible way to fund a special needs trust, is with permanent life insurance. In addition, the proceeds from a settlement or lawsuit can also make up the foundation of the trust assets. Finally, an inheritance can provide the financial bulwark to start and fund the special needs trust.

Families choosing the personal asset route may put a few thousand dollars of cash or other assets into the trust to start, with the intention that the initial investment will be augmented by later contributions from grandparents, siblings, or other relatives. Those subsequent contributions can be willed to the trust, or the trust may be named as a beneficiary of a retirement or investment account. It is vital that families use the services of an elder law or special trusts lawyer. Special needs trusts are very complicated, and if set up incorrectly, it can mean the loss of government program benefits.

If a special needs trust is started with life insurance, the trustor will name the trust as the beneficiary of the policy. When the trustor passes away, the policy’s death benefit is left, tax free, to the trust. When a lump-sum settlement or inheritance is invested within the trust, this can allow for the possibility of growth and compounding. With a worthy trustee in place, there is less chance of mismanagement, and the money may come out of the trust to support the beneficiary in a wise manner that does not risk threatening government benefits.

In addition, a special needs trust can be funded with tangible, non-cash assets, such as real estate, securities, art or antiques. These assets (and others like them) can be left to the trustee of the special needs trust through a revocable living trust or will. Note that the objective of the trust is to provide the trust beneficiary with non-disqualifying cash and assets owned by the trust. As a result, these tangible assets will have to be sold or liquidated to meet that goal.

As mentioned above, you need to take care in the creation and administration of a special needs trust, which will entail the use of an experienced attorney who practices in this area and a trustee well-versed in the rules and regulations governing public assistance. Consequently, the resulting trust will be a product of close collaboration.

Reference: TapInto (February 2, 2020) “Ways to Fund Special Needs Trusts”

Sims & Campbell, LLC – Annapolis and Towson Estate Planning Attorneys

What Is So Important About Powers Of Attorney? – Annapolis and Towson Estate Planning

Powers of attorney can provide significant authority to another person, if you are unable to do so. These powers can include the right to access your bank accounts and to make decisions for you. AARP’s article from last October entitled, “Powers of Attorney: Crucial Documents for Caregiving,” describes the different types of powers of attorney.

Just like it sounds, a specific power of attorney restricts your agent to taking care of only certain tasks, such as paying bills or selling a house. This power is typically only on a temporary basis.

A general power of attorney provides your agent with sweeping authority. The agent has the authority to step into your shoes and handle all of your legal and financial affairs.

The authority of these powers of attorney can stop at the time you become incapacitated. Durable powers of attorney may be specific or general. However, the “durable” part means your agent retains the authority, even if you become physically or mentally incapacitated. In effect, your family probably will not need to petition a court to intervene, if you have a medical crisis or have severe cognitive decline like late stage dementia.

In some instances, medical decision-making is part of a durable power of attorney for health care. This can also be addressed in a separate document that is just for health care, like a health care surrogate designation.

There are a few states that recognize “springing” durable powers of attorney. With these, the agent can begin using his or her authority, only after you become incapacitated. Other states do not have these, which means your agent can use the document the day you sign the durable power of attorney.

A well-drafted power of attorney helps your agent help you, because he or she can keep the details of your life addressed, if you cannot. That can be things like applying for financial assistance or a public benefit, such as Medicaid, or verifying that your utilities stay on and your taxes get paid. Attempting to take care of any of these things without the proper document can be almost impossible.

In the absence of proper incapacity legal planning, your loved ones will need to initiate a court procedure known as a guardianship or conservatorship. However, these hearings can be expensive, time-consuming and contested by family members who do not agree with moving forward.

Do not wait to do this. Every person who is at least age 18 should have a power of attorney in place. If you do have a power of attorney, be sure that it is up to date. Ask an experienced elder law or estate planning attorney to help you create these documents.

Reference: AARP (October 31, 2019) “Powers of Attorney: Crucial Documents for Caregiving”

Sims & Campbell, LLC – Annapolis and Towson Estate Planning Attorneys