What sets ABLE accounts apart from special needs trusts is how they assist individuals with disabilities in handling finances while preserving crucial benefits. ABLE accounts allow individuals to save up to an annual limit, and funds grow tax-free for qualified expenses, including education, healthcare, and housing. Special needs trusts can hold much more, even [...]
Special needs trusts work to protect Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid eligibility in Arizona by setting up a legal way for funds to help a person with disabilities without raising countable assets above state limits. Under Arizona law, funds in these trusts do not count toward SSI or Medicaid’s asset limit, so the [...]
There are two primary types of special needs trusts: first-party and third-party, which are designed to assist individuals with disabilities in preserving public benefits when there is additional money available. First-party SNTs utilize the beneficiary’s own assets, typically from a settlement or inheritance. Third-party special needs trusts hold money from somebody else, such as [...]
Special needs planning in Arizona is about laying the groundwork for individuals with disabilities to navigate finances, care, and daily life with dignity and security. Families often rely on trusts, benefits planning, and knowledgeable legal guidance to protect assets while ensuring their loved one continues receiving essential government assistance. Arizona’s laws governing special needs [...]
Key Takeaways First-party special needs trusts are funded with the beneficiary’s resources, such as personal injury settlements or inheritances. Third-party trusts are funded by family members or other benefactors. Whether to use a first-party or third-party trust. It is an essential tool for maintaining eligibility for important government benefits, such as Medicaid and Supplemental [...]