Resources
Special Needs Planning – July 2019 Newsletter
Special Needs News is an e-newsletter that brings you reports of legal developments and other trends of vital interest to those with special needs and their advocates. This newsletter is brought to you by Jennifer Exum and the other members of the Special Needs Planning Practice Group of Chambliss Law Firm.
Chambliss Law Firm Monthly Editorial
So You Have Some Decisions to Make – Here’s Where to Start
by Amy Boulware, Care Manager, (LAP MSW)
The phone rang, and I could see on the screen my daughter Amanda was calling. “Mom,” she said. “I have some decisions to make about my insurance and benefits that come with my new job. I need you and dad to help me.”
Amanda is 27 years old, has graduated from college, lived in two foreign countries, and traveled all over the world. One would think that she is capable of making these decisions on her own. However, I am sure Amanda’s desire to ask for advice is typical of most people. We all check in with trusted advisors when we make big decisions, whether they be professionals, family members, or close friends.
We make decisions on a daily basis. Some of those are big, and some are small. Decisions can range from what to eat today to deciding on a medical treatment. In the world of disability work, this process actually has a name. It is called “Supported Decision Making.” This model supports those with disabilities in making and communicating their own decisions about their lives. [Click to read the full story.]
Moving? Make Sure Your Special Needs Planning Moves With You
If you are thinking about moving to another state with your child, or if your child has grown up and is moving to another state, provisions in your child’s special needs trust may no longer be applicable.
Push for Medicaid Work Requirements Encounters Headwinds
Efforts by the federal government and some states to require certain Medicaid beneficiaries to work in order to maintain eligibility for benefits has run into a series of obstacles, both in the courts and in state legislatures.
ABLE Accounts Still Slow to Gain Traction
Only a small fraction of those eligible for new savings accounts for people with disabilities are using them, according to disability advocates.
Social Security Disability Benefits: An Overview
Social Security offers two distinctly separate disability benefit programs with different purposes, eligibility requirements, and benefit levels.