At Wetherington Hamilton, we place a unique focus on special needs planning within our estate planning group. Special Needs Estate Planning focuses on providing for the special needs of loved ones with disabilities when the parents are no longer here to advocate on their behalf. Parents of children with special needs, whether minor or severe, must make calculated estate planning choices that will coordinate the legal, financial, and special care needs of their children. One of the ways we do that is through the use of special needs trusts.
A special needs, or supplemental needs trust, allows you to leave assets to your loved one without jeopardizing their ability to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid benefits.
Sarah Schelling Peet, an Attorney in our Estate Planning group is a member of the Advisory Board of Morning Star School, a small non-profit Catholic Diocesan school for students with learning disabilities and other special needs. Their Special Education Instructors and dedicated staff use a proven approach along with small classes of 10-12 students to help children learn how to achieve greater success in life. For the past several years, Ms. Peet has had the opportunity to educate families at Morning Star regarding special needs planning and has been happy to assist those families with their needs. Our newest Estate Planning attorney, Elaine McGinnis, also has years of experience in handling special needs trusts as well as variety of other estate and trust matters. If you or a loved one has a child with special needs please call us at (813) 676-9082 to schedule your consultation and ensure they are protected for the future.
