PLANNING FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AFTER WE ARE GONE – Begley Report
By: Thomas D. Begley, Jr., Esquire, CELA Planning for children with special needs is extremely important, and often completely overlooked or done haphazardly. The problem is many of our children with disabilities will be unable to take care of themselves after we are gone. As long as we are living, we will do everything necessary…
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…
When A Self-Settled Special Needs Trust May Not Be the Best Option: Thinking Outside of the Box
By: Thomas D. Begley, Jr., Esquire, CELA When a personal injury settlement is received, the first reaction for many people is, “Let’s use the money to fund a self-settled special needs trust and preserve whatever public benefits the individual may be eligible to receive.” However, this may not always be the best option. When plaintiffs…
The Impact Of Fundraisers On Beneficiaries With Disabilities – Begley Report
by Thomas D. Begley, Jr., CELA CRISIS AND KINDNESS In times of crisis, people often show just how caring humanity can be. Major humanitarian relief efforts respond to large-scale natural and unnatural disasters. Strangers donate time and money to individuals injured in tragic accidents. Often, the first instinct when you learn that someone is hurt…