In many ways, families who have children with special needs are similar to most other families. They share a daily routine, watch movies and eat popcorn on the weekends, and enjoy vacationing together at a beach or camp. All parents want their children to have access to good schools and the best possible healthcare. Most importantly, parents hope…

A growing number of families are sandwiched between the long-term care needs of parents and grandparents, on the one hand, and the healthcare, income, housing, and other needs of children with disabilities on the other. As the parents of a child with disabilities age, they need to develop a plan to meet the caregiving needs of their child when…

Estate planners counseling families who have children with disabilities are increasingly confronted with planning dilemmas that mirror the social, financial, and societal issues presented by an aging population. It is not uncommon when discussing "special needs" planning with clients to discover that they are in their 70s or 80s and…

When a parent leaves an inheritance over $2,000 to an individual with special needs, the inheritance is actually a gift to the government because it eliminates that child's qualification for government benefits. The use of a special needs trust eliminates this disqualification because the inheritance is not left to the individual with special…

For most families, financial planning involves paying the monthly bills while putting money aside for the children's college funds and the parents' retirement. However, for parents of children with special needs, planning often takes on a very different meaning. Ensuring that children will have the resources to meet their financial, educational,…

The authors present estate planning suggestions that address concerns about lifetime care for the disabled children of aging parents. Aspects covered include disinheriting children, trust funds, and medical and legal assistance and food stamps. (CL)

The article explains how parents can set up a trust to provide for a disabled child's financial future. The trust instrument is described and the assignment of imperative or discretionary powers to a trustee or cotrustees is considered. (DB)

An attorney describes problems that can arise if property is left outright or in a standard type of trust to or for the benefit of a disabled person. (CL)

Parents who wish their handicapped offspring to be financially provided for after their own deaths need to explore several ways of managing and distributing their assets, including: creating a will; disinheritance (to avoid loss of benefits; joint property and life insurance; and trusts and trustees. (CB)

This section of the journal consists of ten articles covering various topics of interest to parents of handicapped children. (DLS)

This article briefly describes CVS All Kids Can, a program launched by CVS/Pharmacy Charitable Trust and CVS/Pharmacy designed to make life easier for children with special needs. CVS is America's largest retail pharmacy, operating more than 5,400 retail and specialty pharmacy stores in 36 states and the District of Columbia. Through this…