Special Needs Trusts in Los Angeles

Handling Special Needs Trusts

Special needs trusts are an important estate planning tool used to protect assets and benefits of disabled and elderly persons. Special needs trusts are a type of discretionary, spendthrift trust and can be effective to protect the beneficiary from avoiding any loss of government benefits or other claims. They allow the beneficiaries to preserve their governmental benefits and benefit from their inheritance.

Many families are faced with providing for family members who rely on governmental benefits. These family members want to assist their loved ones but do not want their loved ones to lose their government benefits. A special needs trust may be set up to assist the loved one but allow the loved one to avoid jeopardizing their government benefits.

Experienced Help for Special Needs Trusts in Los Angeles

Many special needs trust are third-party trusts funded by family members or other loved ones. The funds in the trusts then pay for special and supplemental needs of the beneficiary. Goals of the trust often include sheltering the assets from claims from the beneficiary's creditors and allowing the beneficiary to continue receiving governmental benefits such as Medi-Cal or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

As third-party trusts and gifts can jeopardize the eligibility of the recipient from receiving governmental benefits, it is important that the trust be drafted by a competent Los Angeles trust attorney. If you currently have a special needs trust, it is important that you regularly review the trust with your attorney. California and Federal Laws change regularly, and these changes may significantly effect the benefits.

Contact a Los Angeles trust lawyer at the Law Office of David A. Shapiro to handle any of your Special Needs Trust issues at (310) 773-0377.