Special Needs Trusts

Major changes to the “kiddie tax” could significantly increase the tax liability of assets placed in special needs trusts if the trust’s beneficiary is a minor and the income the trust earns is high enough.

A special needs trust has been likened to a "parent's pocket" -- that is, it pays for the kinds of things that a parent would just reach into his or her pocket to cover.

The New York Times Magazine’s weekly The Ethicist column recently explored a difficult question that may challenge many parents of adult children with special needs.

Although homeownership can be empowering for someone with disabilities, purchasing the home through a special needs trust may be in the beneficiary’s best interests.

Trusts where the funds of many people with special needs are “pooled” may be a better option for some people than the conventional special needs trust, depending on the circumstances.

A lawsuit settlement must protect the injured person's long-term financial interests, health and quality of life.  Here are five key questions that should be answered before settling a personal injury claim.

If you have funds in an IRA that will be distributed to a special needs trust upon your death, it is usually best to stretch these distributions out over as long a period as possible for income tax purposes.

According to court documents, legendary singer Aretha Franklin did not have a will when she died, meaning there are no specific protections for a son with special needs.

Trustees of special needs trusts generally have wide discretion in determining whether to distribute funds to trust beneficiaries. But if the person with disabilities receives SSI, care should be taken when using trust funds to pay for housing.