What Special Needs Planning Attorneys Want Parents to Know
By Barry Zimmer on June 14th, 2018 in Special Needs Planning
Special needs planning is an important process. If you have a child who is disabled, you need to understand how the creation of a special needs plan works and what steps you should take to make certain that your child will be appropriately provided for even if something should happen to you. Special needs children are often unable to ever become fully independent, so parents with children of all ages should make certain to work with an experienced attorney at different phases of life to address their child’s needs.
Zimmer Law Firm has extensive experience providing help to parents with the creation of a plan to ensure that their children are cared for in the most appropriate possible way. Our firm will work closely with you to make effective use of legal tools so you can provide the best possible quality of life for your child even after you are no longer here to provide care. To find out more about the assistance that our firm can offer in making a special needs plan, give us a call today. You can also read on to learn some of the key things that special needs planning attorneys wish parents of disabled children knew.
What Parents of Disabled Children Need to Know About Special Needs Planning
There are a few key things that special needs planning attorneys wish parents of children with disabilities knew about the special needs planning process. Some of these things include:
- The importance of naming a guardian: It is imperative that you have plans for where your disabled child will live and who will care for your child if your son or daughter is too disabled to live independently. If you have other children or there are other close family members who are younger than you, you may plan for your disabled child to live with them. However, you should discuss this with them during their lifetimes to ensure this is OK and you should put formal plans in place. If your disabled child will be moving to an institutional setting when you are no longer able to provide care, you should also be aware that you likely still want to name a trusted guardian or conservator to make decisions on your child’s behalf and monitor his care if your child cannot manage his or her own affairs due to disability.
- The importance of protecting access to means-tested benefits: If your child is receiving means-tested benefits such as Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income, you cannot just give your child an inheritance. Doing so could cause a loss of access to those important benefits. You should instead work with an experienced attorney to ensure an inheritance is structured appropriately so benefits are protected and so the right person can be put in charge of managing the wealth you have left behind and using it to enhance the quality of life for your child.
- The importance of taking action early: You never know when something could happen to you, so it is best to put plans in place as soon as possible so you’ll know your child will be cared for.
Zimmer Law Firm will help you to make sure you have named a trusted person to care for your disabled child or to monitor your child’s care after you are gone. We can also provide assistance creating a special needs trust so you can protect your child’s access to Medicaid and other means-tested benefits. Finally, we can assist with the creation of a personalized plan appropriate to your life stage and can help you to update your plans as things change and evolve with your family.
Getting Help from a Special Needs Planning Lawyer
A special needs planning lawyer can provide you with personalized one-on-one advice that addresses your family situation, your financial situation, and the needs of your child. No two families are exactly alike and you are in the best position to know what your child’s needs will be later in life. We will work with you, listen to your goals, and help you to make use of legal tools that will allow you to best provide for your disabled child.
To find out more about how Zimmer Law Firm can help parents of special needs children to put the right plans in place to protect and provide for their children throughout their lifetimes, join us for a free seminar. You can also give us a call at 513.721.1513 at any time.