Estate Planning

Your Special Needs Trust (“SNT”) Defined

The Voice is the email newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Amy C. O`Hara, CELA, an attorney with the New York law firm of Littman Krooks LLP. Her practice focuses on special needs planning, trust administration, guardianships, elder law, veterans' benefits and estate planning and administration. Amy is a member of the Special Needs Alliance and active participant of the publications committee. She is also a member of the New York State Bar Association. Amy graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School.

2024-05-06T14:31:09-04:00Tags: |
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Funding a Special Needs Trust with Life Insurance

This issue of The Voice is written by Ken W. Shulman, Esq. who is a partner in the Boston, Massachusetts, office of Day Pitney LLP. Ken focuses his practice on estate planning and related issues for families who have children with disabilities and on elder law. He has served as a board member for several human service agencies including the Greater Boston ARC and presently serves as a board member for the Asperger's Association of New England. He also serves on the Combined Jewish Philanthropies Committee on Disabilities and previously served on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. He is a co-author of Managing a Special Needs Trust, People with Disabilities Press (2010). Ken often serves as a trustee of special needs trusts at his clients' request.

Ken is a member of the Special Needs Alliance, a national, non-profit organization committed to helping individuals with disabilities, their families, and the professionals who represent them. Contact information for a member in your state can be obtained by calling toll-free 1-877-572-8472, or by visiting: www.specialneedsalliance.org.

2024-05-06T14:27:15-04:00
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To Plan or Not to Plan – That Is Not the Question

By Mohan Mehra, President, The Arc Board of Directors, Washington, D.C. The Arc recently completed a national study of over 5,000 parents, siblings and caregivers of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). The study, titled FINDS (Family and Individual Needs for Disability Supports), asked about their needs and access to a broad range of supports [...]

2024-05-09T15:11:59-04:00
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A Short Primer on Trusts and Trust Taxation

The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance members Barbara Hughes, Esq. of Madison, Wisconsin and Tara Anne Pleat, Esq. of Clifton Park, New York. Barbara is a partner in the law firm of Hill, Glowacki, Jaeger & Hughes, LLP, where her practice is focused on special needs planning, elder law, and general estate planning and administration. A Fellow and past board member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), in recent years she has consistently been recognized as one of the city's best attorneys in Madison Magazine and selected as a Wisconsin estate planning and probate Super Lawyer in Law and Politics Magazine, ranking since 2009 as one of Wisconsin's 25 top women attorneys. Tara is a founding partner of the law firm of Wilcenski & Pleat PLLC in Clifton Park, New York. She practices in the areas of Special Needs Planning, Elder Law, and Trust and Estate Planning and Administration. Tara writes and lectures frequently on issues affecting individuals with disabilities and their families.

2024-05-06T14:20:04-04:00
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The Education Power of Attorney: Empowering Students with Disabilities

By Barbara Hughes, Esq. When individuals with disabilities reach the age of 18, they are legally considered to be adults and in charge of their own education decisions. At this point, some will need to have parents or another adult appointed as guardian, to handle all or most of the decision-making. On the other hand, [...]

2024-05-07T14:36:53-04:00
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Decisions Arising with the Death of a Child

The Voice® is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance member Leonard F. Berg, CELA. A graduate of the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, Missouri, Leonard is a solo practitioner in East Alton, Madison County, Illinois. Leonard's prior experience includes service as a public defender, prosecutor, and municipal attorney and he has participated in mental health commitment hearings representing both patients and the state. His practice currently focuses on estate planning, special needs planning and elder law. Leonard has been designated as an Illinois Leading Lawyer. He is involved in a variety of civic organizations and has been a speaker for numerous civic groups.

2024-04-22T16:28:40-04:00Tags: |
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The Other Special Need: Planning for Those with Severe Mental Illness

The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of the Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance member Shawn Majette, Esq. of Richmond, Virginia. Mr. Majette was recently named to Virginia Lawyers Media 2010 class of Leaders in the Law. This program, now in its fifth year, aims to honor the lawyers who are setting the standard for other lawyers. Mr. Majette has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America in Elder Law since 2007. He is also an active member of NAELA and was recently the focus of the organization's magazine cover story, The Magician of Elder Law. Mr. Majette's many articles can be found on the t-mlaw.com website. Involuntary Civil Commitment is one of the most recent posted online.

2024-06-19T10:30:07-04:00Tags: , |
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Crummey Doesn’t Mean Lousy

The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by H. Amos Goodall, Jr., CELA of the State College, Pennsylvania law firm Goodall & Yurchak, P.C. His practice emphasizes estate planning and implementation for elders, persons with special needs and their families. A member of the Special Needs Alliance and of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Amos is also a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel

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2024-04-22T16:04:22-04:00Tags: |
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18, 19, 21 Candles on that Cake

The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance member Barbara Hughes, Esq. of Madison, Wisconsin, who comes to her interest in facilitating the best in special education experiences from her long past "life" as a sixth grade teacher. Ms. Hughes is a partner in the Madison law firm of Hill, Glowacki, Jaeger & Hughes, LLP, where her practice is focused on special needs planning, elder law, and general estate planning and administration. A Fellow and past board member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, in recent years she (along with several of her law partners) has consistently been recognized as one of the city's best attorneys in Madison Magazine and selected as a Wisconsin estate planning and probate Super Lawyer in Law and Politics Magazine, ranking in 2009 as one of Wisconsin's 25 top women attorneys.

2024-04-22T15:54:08-04:00Tags: , , |
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Top Ten Tips When Planning For Special Needs

The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance members Richard E. Davis, CELA and Jennifer L. Lile, CELA, both of whom focus their practices on estate planning, special needs planning and elder law. Rick is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, a Certified Elder Law Attorney, a Fellow of the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel, has been listed in Best Lawyers in America each year since 2003, has been designated as an Ohio Super Lawyer, and is included on the Top 100 Attorneys List for the state of Ohio. Jennifer and Rick are both frequent speakers on the topic of special needs planning, and they have co-authored numerous articles on that topic.

2024-04-16T14:51:38-04:00
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“I’m Glad She Did That”

The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance member Robert L. McClelland, CELA of Lexington, Kentucky. Mr. McClelland is the managing member in the Lexington law firm of McClelland & Associates, PLLC, where his practice is focused on special needs planning, elder law and general estate planning.

2024-04-16T14:49:15-04:00Tags: |
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Letter of Intent

The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance member Larry Rocamora of Durham, North Carolina. Mr. Rocamora is a partner in the Durham law firm of McPherson Rocamora & Nicholson, PLLC, where his practice is focused on special needs planning and general estate planning. Mr. Rocamora is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, and he has been selected as a Super Lawyer for each of the past four years.

2024-04-16T14:48:19-04:00Tags: |
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Peering Into the Crystal Ball: Planning for Potential Disability

The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance member Nancy Gibson, Esq., who practices in Missoula, Montana (in Montana's "banana belt"). Ms. Gibson's practice is limited to special needs planning, elder law and estate planning. She is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and finished her term as a member of the Special Needs Alliance Board earlier this year. Ms. Gibson has been very active in local, state and national advocacy and support groups, and frequently deals with the need for crystal ball gazing.

2024-04-16T14:38:00-04:00Tags: , , |
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Realistically Assessing an Exceptional Child’s Future

You are reading The Voice, the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment is a very moving, personal and true story from Special Needs Alliance member Barbara Isenhour, Esq. of Seattle, Washington. She has practiced law for over 33 years, focusing on the legal issues facing the elderly and disabled persons of all ages. Barbara was selected as one of the city's best attorneys in Seattle Magazine for three years and has been selected as a "Super Lawyer" in Law and Politics Magazine for the past five years.

2024-04-16T14:34:13-04:00Tags: , |
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Planning Your Estate: When a “Simple Will” Won’t Suffice

You are reading The Voice, the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance member Hyman Darling, Esq. of Springfield, Massachusetts. Mr. Darling is a shareholder in the law firm of Bacon & Wilson, P.C.His practice is primarily focused on estate planning, particularly planning for families including a member with a disability. Mr. Darling also lectures and writes on estate planning topics extensively, and is very active in his local community. He is certified by the National Elder Law Foundation as a Certified Elder Law Attorney.

2024-06-19T10:30:38-04:00Tags: , |
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Fixing a Flawed Special Needs Estate Plan

You are reading The Voice, a newsletter published by The Special Needs Alliance. Our purpose is to provide information--and answers--about special needs planning for family members and professionals. We hope this newsletter helps you. We would love to hear your questions, suggestions and comments; please feel free to e-mail us. We also encourage you to forward our newsletter to others who might benefit from the information here, or who might have similar questions.

2024-06-19T10:30:43-04:00Tags: , |
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