Parents of a child with special needs deal with a unique set of challenges and obstacles.  Depending on the child’s disability, issues might begin to arise as early as the child’s birth.  For instance, in addition to medical issues, parents must many times develop new parenting strategies to help their child with special needs to learn and grow.  Ultimately, parents of a child with special needs must take the child’s unique circumstances into consideration with nearly every decision they make.

Of course, great rewards come with these additional considerations, and most parents do not know how they ever got along without their child.  And from this love comes a willingness to continue doing whatever it takes to provide the best life for their child as possible.  While this should always involve giving the child love and attention, it also involves planning for the child’s continued financial support.

Special needs trust planning should be central to parents’ preparations for their child with special needs.  Chances are great that the child relies on public benefits, such as Medicaid or Social Security, for his or her quality of life.  If so, and if his or her parent fails to establish a special needs trust, the child’s benefits could be at risk of being taken away.  The issue is that any increase to the child’s income can be problematic for public benefit eligibility, so parents who leave the child any inheritance could actually cause him or her to lose public assistance.

Parents who work with a special needs trust attorney can prepare to leave their child with special needs an inheritance, without causing that child to be disqualified from public benefits.  As important as this type of planning is, however, all too many parents overlook it.  To see their special needs child through to the end, parents should work with a special needs trust attorney to properly arrange their affairs so as to not cause complications for their child.

To start this process, contact the Elder Law Department at JacksonWhite. We’ll be happy to help you and your family plan for your child’s future and security.