How should I plan for a child with special needs?

A direct inheritance can affect means-tested public benefits and may not provide the right management. Special-needs planning often uses a carefully drafted trust and coordinated beneficiary forms.

General information

• Eligibility rules are detailed and change over time.
• The trustee must understand benefit limits and the beneficiary's needs.
• A general online form may not be enough.

Service steps to consider

1. Listing current and expected benefits.
2. Risk: changing beneficiary forms without advice.
3. Work with a special-needs estate plan attorney.

Quick check

• Did I ask the person first?
• Did I name a backup?
• Has the child's care plan changed?

How Complete Wills can help

Complete Wills can prepare a guardian nomination through its Guardian package or as part of a will-based or trust-based plan. The questionnaire records the customer's choices. Support can explain where information belongs but cannot evaluate or select a guardian. Customer support can explain website features and questionnaire fields, but it cannot choose documents, people, distributions, or legal terms, interpret a completed document, or explain how the law applies to a person's facts. Only a separately engaged licensed attorney may provide legal advice within the attorney's engagement.

Important limits

• A parent's nomination is important. But a court makes the final appointment under state law and the child's best interests.
• Special-needs benefits, custody disputes, noncitizen caregivers, or large inheritances require advice from a qualified attorney. This article gives general information only. A licensed attorney can explain how state law applies to a specific estate plan or document.