Be Careful When Crowdfunding for Medical Expenses
by Marianne Johnston, Esq. Begley Law Group Medical crowd-funding is a popular vehicle for individuals to reduce the burden of medical expenses and pay for healthcare costs. GoFundMe, the biggest platform for medical crowdfunding raised $5.0 billion between 2010 and 2018. This sounds great, but, unfortunately, if the crowd-funding beneficiary receives means-tested public benefits, a…
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MY SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD TURNS 18?
by Thomas D. Begley, Jr., Esquire, CELA When a child becomes 18 years old, he or she becomes an adult. Prior to that time, the child is a minor and his or her parent is also the natural guardian and had the authority to make decisions for that child. What should a parent be thinking…
Understanding Estate Planning – Begley Report
By Thomas D. Begley, Jr. WHAT IS ESTATE PLANNING? Estate planning is the process by which an individual defines his or her goals for passing assets to beneficiaries and chooses appropriate tools and strategies for achieving those goals. The process begins with a careful analysis of one’s situation, objectives, and potential tax liability. Only after…
USING SELF-SETTLED SPECIAL NEEDS TRUSTS TO PROTECT PUBLIC BENEFITS – Begley Report
Many public benefits available to persons with disabilities, such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid, place limits on income and certain types of assets. Exceeding such limits can lead individuals to lose some or all of their benefits. Individuals receiving SSI are limited to $2,000 of assets. For many individuals, their Medicaid is linked…