Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Special Needs Planning: Special Needs Trusts and ABLE Accounts

Husch Blackwell LLP on 9/6/2023

Estate planning can be a daunting task for individuals and families. The stakes can be high. The decisions are often numerous. Family dynamics frequently come into play. However, for those living with special needs or those...more

The New Public Charge Rule and its Previous Iterations

Harris Beach PLLC on 2/8/2023

The public charge provisions in the Immigration Nationality Ac (INA) have been part of U.S. immigration law for decades. We recently reported that on December 23, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began using a...more

The Perils and Pitfalls of Do-It-Yourself Special Needs Planning

Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C. on 10/13/2021

Among the costs of caring for a dependent with special needs are the fees for professional advice. Some families are tempted to save on these costs by setting up a plan on their own. This can be attractive because so much...more

An Introduction to Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C. on 8/18/2021

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federal program that helps people with disabilities and very low incomes pay for food, clothing and shelter. It also is a key avenue to Medicaid coverage. SSI is often confused...more

An ABLE Account Could Be a Great Place for Your $1,400 Relief Payment

Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C. on 4/13/2021

President Biden has signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan into law. Among its benefits are $1,400 checks that are already landing in the bank accounts or mailboxes of most Americans to help them weather the economic...more

IRS Issues Final Regulations for ABLE Accounts

Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C. on 11/9/2020

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued final regulations covering tax-free savings accounts that allow people with disabilities and their families to save and pay for disability-related expenses without jeopardizing...more

Social Security Administration Releases Key Figures for 2021

Ruder Ware on 10/20/2020

The Social Security Administration (“SSA”) recently released key figures for 2021 that will affect all elderly and disabled individuals who receive program benefits, including social security retirement benefits, social...more

Getting the Most out of your ABLE Account Based on the SSA’s New Guidance

Flaster Greenberg PC on 5/27/2020

The Social Security Administration released a new update to its Procedure Operations Manual System, (POMS), effective March 13, 2020. This is a very important development because the POMS is the manual used by employees of...more

Possible Change to How the Government Measures Inflation Raises Concerns for Those with Disabilities

Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C. on 9/23/2019

The way the government calculates inflation affects eligibility for numerous programs -- ranging from Medicaid to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to food stamps -- that are relied on by people with disabilities. Now, the...more

Moving? Make Sure Your Special Needs Planning Moves With You

Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C. on 7/17/2019

If you have already established an appropriate special needs trust for your child, then congratulations! You've taken a wonderful step towards ensuring that your child can take maximum advantage of the government programs...more

ABLE Savings Registry – The Gift that Keeps on Giving

Flaster Greenberg PC on 4/4/2019

ABLE accounts are special, tax qualified disability savings vehicles for seriously disabled individuals, who had a qualifying disability incurred prior to age 26. As long as the rules of the ABLE program are complied with, a...more

ABLE Account or Special Needs Trust – Which One Is Best?

Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C. on 3/12/2019

Saving money for a loved one with a disability can be challenging because of the $2,000 resource limit for eligibility for means-tested governmental benefits like Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid. In the past,...more

New Jersey ABLE Program Offers a New Savings Option for the Disabled

Flaster Greenberg PC on 6/21/2018

Earlier this month, New Jersey joined the list of states with an ABLE Plan. An ABLE account is a special tax-favored disability savings account designed to help individuals living with a severe disability save and manage...more

Some Important Factors To Consider Before Creating A Special Needs Trust

Cole Schotz on 9/12/2017

A Third-Party Special Needs Trust (also referred to as a “Supplemental Needs Trust”) allows parents or other relatives of a special needs beneficiary to dedicate assets to the beneficiary by gift or inheritance without...more

First Circuit Upholds Exclusion of Dual-Eligible Patients That Are Not Entitled to SSI Benefits from Both the DSH Medicaid...

King & Spalding on 11/15/2016

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit recently ruled in favor of HHS, overturning a $17 million district court decision, in a dispute dating back as far as the 1993 fiscal year over whether hospitals may include,...more

Typical Social Security Recipient Will Get $4 Benefit Increase in 2017

Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C. on 11/11/2016

Social Security benefits will rise only slightly in 2017. This follows no increase in benefits in 2016 and small increases for many of the previous years. The small bump in 2017 will likely be eaten up by higher Medicare Part...more

Adults with Special Needs May Soon Be Able to Streamline the Process to Establish First Party Special Needs Trusts on Their Own: A...

Cole Schotz on 10/15/2015

In 1993, Congress enacted Section 1917(d)(4)(A) of the Social Security Act, authorizing the establishment of special needs trusts (also called first-party trusts and self-settled trusts). First-party special needs trusts...more

A Short Primer on SSI Income Rules

Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C. on 8/5/2015

The rules for how income will reduce a Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiary's monthly benefit can be very confusing. Here is a quick look at how the Social Security Administration (SSA) treats an SSI beneficiary's...more

Medicaid › Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

"My best business intelligence, in one easy email…"