When we do an SNT for a claimant on SSI and SSI-related Medicaid, the receipt of the personal injury award funds is countable unearned income in the month received.  If we transfer out the funds to an SNT, the funds do not become a disqualifying resource if completed before the first of the following month.

But what do we

Whether supplemental or special, these trusts serve the same purpose of helping meet the needs of individuals with disabilities while still permitting them to qualify for vital public benefits programs. But there are different categories of special needs trusts and important differences between them that warrant a longer explanation. 
Continue Reading Supplemental vs. Special Needs Trusts: Any Difference?

Duel Eligible – Special Needs Plans (D-SNP) are not available only for special needs planning for disabled people.  It is the fastest growing component of health insurance for concurrently eligible insureds having both Title 2 and Title 16 eligibility which triggers Medicare and Medicaid health insurance.  The term “Special Needs Plans” refers not to the

“Social Security among survey’s worst federal workplaces”

Repost from Washington Post, May 20, 2024

A survey of more than 1 million federal employees reflects
the low morale of many workers.

Overall, the federal government scored 65.7 out of 100, a 2.3-point
increase over 2022. Unfortunately, for their employees and customers, some
workplaces were well below

When an unexpected inheritance or lawsuit proceeds are received by a person with disabilities who is on SSI-disability or SSI-elder benefits, the event calls for some special needs planning to continue the SSI monthly checks and Florida Medicaid without going over the $2,000 resource limit. Many think the best or only answer may be an

According to a report published this month on Medicaid disenrollment by the Center for Children and Families, nearly 600,000 Florid children have been disenrolled from Medicaid since the pandemic protections theat provided for continuous coverage of Medicaid throughout the COVID-19 pandemic were eliminated by the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) on April 1, 2023. Thereafter, some

New POMS may change the way retained funds may be used by Pooled Trust Administrators
Continue Reading New POMS are potentially in the pipeline regarding Pooled Special Needs Trusts’ Use of Retained Funds after Death of SSI Beneficiary

With millions upon millions of baby boomers about to retire, the Social Security Administration has created an online  “retirement benefits estimator” that is a substantial improvement over the previous Internet version. Go to  www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator.

There are a number of things that are significant improvements.  Unlike previous versions, this one uses your actual Social Security

The new 2008 Deeming Chart should be used by banks and other Special Needs Trust Administrators judiciously.  Pay particular attention to the qualifications indicating when the trust may not be used, which appear at the end of the chart.  Also be aware that these numbers increase annually, but a slight amount, due to changes in

The organizers of the Florida State Guardianship Annual Convention asked me to prepare some comments on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid – It Just Keeps Changing.  The ten page paper highlights changes in how  attorneys and guardians of disabled individuals will have to change the way they interact with SSA, video hearings, “paperless” medical