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An important part of special needs planning is protecting your loved one from financial abuse. A True Link card is a tool you may not have considered before, but it could save your family member from exploitation and predatory banking practices. Although True Link offers many benefits to its c...

When a person has petitioned the court for guardianship over you or your loved one, the case's end result will determine your or your loved one's rights. If the court appoints a guardian, the ward can lose the legal ability to make decisions. Depending on the type of guardianship, the guardian...

A power of attorney is a powerful planning document that enables you (the principal) to give another person (the agent or attorney-in-fact) the power to act for you while you are alive. Because it is often prepared in the context of estate planning, many believe it gives their agents the power...

The Senate and House have cleared the passage of a year-end $1.7 trillion appropriations bill that will affect people with disabilities on several fronts. The bill, which runs more than 4,000 pages and includes a wide variety of legislation, heads to President Biden next for his signoff. The ...

Despite support from both sides of the aisle and appeals from disability advocates across the country, proposed legislation intended to offer greater financial support to millions of older adults and people with disabilities is not part of Congress' year-end spending package. Supplemental Securit...

Since it was established in 2005, the Medicaid Money Follows the Person (MFP) Program has given people with disabilities the choice between living in a long-term care facility or receiving care in their home or a community-based setting. MFP helps provide the necessary support that allows people...

Many people living with a disability must make ends meet on a very fixed income, often limited to Social Security Disability Income (SSDI). Paying a student loan on a fixed income can be a huge hardship someone in this situation. If you are permanently unable to work due to a disability, you may ...

A sole benefit trust is a helpful estate planning tool if your family has cross-generational support needs. If a senior with more than $2,000 in assets wants to apply for Medicaid – but also wants to provide for a disabled relative – a sole benefit trust may be a good choice.   What Is a Sole Be...

While a guardian can support the protected person by making important decisions, in some cases, an individual may wish to change or dissolve the arrangement. The ward, their family, or other involved people might feel that the guardian is not doing a good job. They may then petition the court fo...

When a person petitions the court for guardianship over an adult, the adult typically benefits from having independent legal counsel. Yet not all states require independent counsel for the proposed protected person. If you or your loved one are facing a guardianship or conservatorship case in co...

Persons living with a disability have the right to engage in full-time, part-time work, or self-employment. In doing so, they should be able to be paid minimum wage and be part of an environment that has both disabled and non-disabled persons working together, with opportunities for advancement ...

The guardianship of an adult, in which a judge appoints an individual to make choices for a person over 18, is appropriate when the adult lacks capacity. Capacity is a general legal term that refers to a person's cognitive ability. For instance, when people lack capacity to make a will, they cann...

Lois Curtis – known as “L.C.” in a historic disability rights case — has died. She passed away from cancer at her home in November 2022 at age 55. Curtis, who had intellectual and psychiatric impairments, was institutionalized from her teenage years into her early 20s. She and another plaintiff, ...

From difficulties securing transportation for medical appointments to encountering inaccessible health care websites, people with various disabilities encounter barriers to basic health care on a regular basis. Some doctors are only making these disparities worse, recent research suggests. A foc...

The Social Security Administration has announced that its beneficiaries will see a significant increase – totaling nearly 9 percent – in their monthly Social Security checks come January 2023. This cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is the largest boost to Social Security benefits in more than 40 y...

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a monthly payment issued to disabled children and adults who have income and resources that are under an amount set by the Social Security Administration (SSA). There are many important factors that determine your eligibility for SSI. SSI recipients are respo...

November will mark National Family Caregivers month. Studies show that looking after those with special needs exacts a toll on caregivers. This Thanksgiving season, shift your focus a little and remember that you must take care of yourself if you want to continue caring for others. As the saying ...

For some people with disabilities, a guardianship or conservatorship would be overly restrictive. Supported decision-making can be an alternative to unnecessary guardianships. It allows disabled people to get assistance with decisions while retaining autonomy. In supported decision-making, trust...

Medicare Savings Programs help people with disabilities obtain assistance from their state in covering their Medicare costs. The Qualified Disabled and Working Individuals Program (QDWI) is one such Medicare Savings Program. It helps disabled, low-income individuals who want to return to work con...

Care facility closures are becoming increasingly prevalent, especially in rural areas, and can significantly impact residents' lives. People who have called a place home for several years might lose a sense of community when their care facility shuts its doors. Individuals in establishments close...

If you are considering saying “I do” and currently receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicaid, or any other disability-related benefits, getting married could impact your benefits. Unfortunately, under current Social Security, Medicaid, and M...

The Social Security Administration (SSA)'s Compassionate Allowances (CAL) program identifies rare medical conditions that meet its disability benefits standards — and help persons suffering from these serious ailments to receive disability benefits more swiftly. These conditions primarily include...

Mainstream vouchers provide federally funded housing assistance to persons aged 18 to 61 with a disability, who are homeless, are living in an institution, or are at risk of homelessness or institutionalization. Mainstream vouchers are unique in that they can help any household that includes a qu...

Many families of individuals with special needs want to foster their loved ones' independence. Some may find that their loved one is happiest with a personal living space, as independent living offers greater autonomy. However, several barriers prevent many adults with special needs from living o...

About 19 million individuals requested an extension – until October 17, 2022 – for filing their 2021 taxes with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). If you're among them, there is no need to hold off until mid-October to file. Filing sooner rather than later can help you avoid delays in processing...