Special Needs Planning to Secure Your Legacy
Rest assured your child will be safe when you’re no longer able to serve as the primary caregiver
Estate planning for a family with special needs children comes with a complex set of financial, social, and medical considerations that some lawyers are ill-equipped to handle. The experienced special needs planning attorneys with Atlantis Law are dedicated to creating a plan that will protect your child with special needs when you are no longer able to serve as primary caregiver.
We offer a variety of estate planning tools and strategies designed to accommodate the unique circumstances presented by children with special needs and their families in California. We can help you pass on your financial assets the right way so that your child can live a rich and happy life without jeopardizing his or her eligibility for government benefits. We will also assist you in finding and appointing a trusted guardian and/or trustee to look after your child in the event of your death or incapacity. We will also help with locating the best residential opportunities—as well as the means to pay for them.
Special Needs Trusts
The Catch-22 in special needs planning is leaving enough money to pay for the massive amount of care and support your special needs child requires without disqualifying him or her from government benefits like Medicaid and Supplemental Social Security Income.
Fortunately, the government allows assets to be held in a special needs trust to provide supplemental financial resources for the physically, mentally, or developmentally disabled without affecting their eligibility for public healthcare and income assistance benefits. That said, the rules for setting up these trusts are quite complicated.
For instance, funds from a special needs trust cannot be distributed directly to the disabled beneficiary and must be disbursed to a third-party who is responsible for providing the goods and services the special needs child requires to maintain a comfortable lifestyle. What is more, the requirements for a child with special needs change dramatically over time, as do the laws governing public benefits.
Given this complexity, it is vital to work with an experienced special needs attorney who can create a comprehensive special needs trust that is both properly structured and appropriate for your child’s specific situation.
Special Needs Planning and Trusts in California
Contact Atlantis Law if you need estate planning for your child with Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, or another developmental or intellectual disability. Our team of experienced California special needs planning lawyers can develop a sustainable living plan for your child with special needs that will preserve their access to government benefits.
Special Needs Planning & Trusts for California Children
- Contact Atlantis Law if you need estate planning for your child with Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, or another developmental or intellectual disability.
- Our team of experienced California special needs planning lawyers can develop a sustainable living plan for your child with special needs.
- A plan will provide your children with the finances they need to live a full life, while preserving their access to government benefits.