SPECIAL NEEDS PLANNING – PART 1
by Thomas D. Begley, Jr., Esquire, CELA [Here are links to Part 2 , Part 3 and Part 4 .] Special Needs Planning for loved ones with disabilities is extremely important. As long as parents are alive, they will care for their children with disabilities. The problem begins when the parents are gone. Many children…
Ten Steps in Planning for My Special Needs Child
by Thomas D. Begley, Jr., Esquire, CELA Retain a Competent Special Needs Trust Attorney. The first step in planning for a special needs child is to retain a Special Needs Trust Attorney who is experienced in assisting families with special needs children. Many Estate and Trust Attorneys draft Special Needs Trusts, but do not have…
WHEN IS A SPECIAL NEEDS TRUST REQUIRED IN A MATRIMONIAL ACTION?
by Thomas D. Begley, Jr., Esquire, CELA Studies show that having a child with a disability dramatically increases the likelihood that the parents will divorce. The divorce rate for this cohort is as high as 86%. When either a spouse or a child is disabled and is receiving public benefits, a Special Needs Trust…
GUARDIANSHIP 101: WHAT PARENTS OF DISABLED CHILDREN NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GUARDIANSHIP IN NEW JERSEY
By: Ethan J. Ordog, Esquire WHAT IS GUARDIANSHIP? Guardianship is a protective arrangement established through the Superior Court in New Jersey on behalf of a mentally incapacitated person. While guardianship proceedings are often associated with adults suffering from dementia or the effects of aging, a parent of a developmentally disabled child is often faced with…