Loud & Clear: Family Conversations is written by our member attorneys and guests for individuals with disabilities and their families. We tackle the day-to-day and long-range issues that affect the quality of life. Readers are welcome to comment on the discussion, though we can not answer legal questions here. For answers to specific legal questions, please find an attorney in our Directory.
What Parents Need to Know about Special Education Rights
This post was authored by Marion M. Walsh, Esq., a partner with Littman Krooks LLP, which has offices in White Plains and New York City. She has worked in education law for over 20 years and leads the special education department at Littman Krooks. She is certified by the New York State Education Department as an impartial hearing officer for children with disabilities.
Managing Retroactive SSI Benefits
This post was written by Richard Chatwin, CELA. He is a partner with the firm of Gerrard Cox Larsen, with offices in Henderson and Las Vegas, Nevada. He focuses on special needs planning, elder law and probate.
Roundup: Never Too Late to Plan/Family Leave and IEPs/Trustee Surcharges
SNA attorneys have ongoing involvement with the wide-ranging issues faced by individuals with disabilities, their families and the professionals who serve them. Here is a sampling from member blogs and newsletters…
Is Self-Employment Right for You?
This post was co-authored by John S. Kitchen, Esq., and Janet Lowder, CELA. John has law offices in Auburn and Laconia, New Hampshire. His practice areas include special needs trusts (SNTs), powers of attorney, wills and revocable trusts for individuals who have a family member or friend with disabilities. Janet’s firm is headquartered in Cleveland, with several other offices throughout the state. She focuses on estate planning for the elderly and for individuals with special needs and is recognized for her knowledge of Medicaid.
Ensuring that Structured Settlements Meet Plaintiff Needs
This post was written by Tara Anne Pleat, Esq., Wilcenski Pleat Law, with offices in Clifton Park and Queensbury, New York. Her practice includes special needs planning and administration, traditional estate planning and elder law.
Guardianship Should Be a Last Resort
This post was written by former Special Needs Alliance president Katherine N. Barr, Esq., a member of Sirote & Permutt’s Private Clients, Trusts and Estates Practice Group, Birmingham, Alabama. Much of her practice involves special needs planning, through which she assists clients in providing for a family member in a way that does not jeopardize government benefits. She is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and has been cited in The Best Lawyers in America©.
Full Funding of the IDEA Critical for Our Children
By Linda M. Gorczynski, Esq. It's critical that we get increased funding for special education services in order to meet the needs of students with disabilities and achieve compliance with [...]
Letter of Intent Gives Valuable Advice to Future Caregivers
By Glynis A. Ritchie, Esq. Parents of children with special needs have lots on their plates. When it comes to estate planning, the tasks at hand can be complicated, and [...]
How In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM) Affects Benefits
By Martha C. Brown, CELA Special needs trusts (SNTs) are established to supplement the benefits that individuals with disabilities receive from government programs, such as Medicaid and SSI (Supplemental Security [...]
Looking Ahead: Transition Planning for Life After School
By Sage C. Hart, Esq. High school graduation is a milestone for any student, but when a young adult has disabilities, it ushers in a period of even greater change. [...]
Bullying and Kids with Disabilities
By Judith L. Smith, Esq. Bullying in its many forms is a serious, all-too-common problem, and social media has moved this abuse online. The bullying may involve insults, threats or [...]
Wings for All® Takes the Fear Out of Flying
Barbara Hughes, center, Vice President of The Arc Dane County, chaired the stunningly successful event. From left, Danielle Sendelbach and Bianca McCormick from Barbara’s office were two of the many [...]
Preparing for Dementia
By Sally L. Schoffstall, CELA Dementia is on the rise with the aging of baby boomers. Nearly six million individuals in the U.S. have Alzheimer’s, while others deal with cognitive [...]
Considerations Selecting a Family Trustee
By Tara Anne Pleat, Esq. It is not uncommon for parents who are creating a supplemental needs trust (SNT) for a loved one with disabilities to assume that naming one [...]
Mother and Son Activists Shared Story in Far from the Tree
Emily Kingsley and son Jason are prominently featured in Andrew Solomon’s Far from the Tree, recognized by The New York Times as one of the 10 Best Books of 2012, [...]
Obstacles Remain to Exercise of Voting Rights by Individuals with Disabilities
By Emily A. Donaldson, CELA As mid-term elections approach, the stakes are high for individuals with disabilities. Budget battles are being waged at every level of government, threatening Medicaid, SSDI, [...]
How to Handle SSI Overpayments
By Neal A. Winston, CELA Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a monthly cash payment to qualifying individuals with disabilities, based on financial need. While it often forms the foundation of [...]
When Should a Special Needs Trust Be Updated?
By Daniel Surprenant, CELA Special needs trusts (SNTs) are financial instruments designed to enhance quality of life for individuals with disabilities by supplementing the government benefits available to them. Assets [...]
SNA and ANRC Partner on ABLE Education
The Special Needs Alliance (SNA) and ABLE National Resource Center (ANRC) have agreed to collaborate on efforts to educate individuals with disabilities, their families and other stakeholders on how ABLE [...]
Five Activities to Improve Your Child’s Communication Skills
By Lisa Orlando, Invo-Progressus Communication is such a fundamental part of who we are that we can take for granted how often we use these skills. Speaking, listening, questioning and [...]