| A legal misstep by family, with regards to the future | | | | would have allowed parents to save money in an |
| care of a special needs individual, can have disastrous | | | | account for a special needs or disabled child or adult |
| consequences. With the legal jargon of existing laws | | | | without jeopardizing government benefits. A second |
| and a slew of new bills and riders always on the table | | | | change has been that the Social Security |
| in the house or senate, navigating through the | | | | Administration has published a new POMS, or the staff |
| confusion should not be undertaken without the | | | | operating manual. |
| guidance and services of a qualified special needs | | | | Even though attorneys understandably charge fees, |
| attorney. To do so would be setting up a loved one | | | | many of the fees which special needs attorneys |
| for a life strewn with substandard medical care. | | | | charge are exceptionally lower than the standard 33% |
| The usual benefits available and bestowed upon | | | | a personal injury lawyer may require. One reason for |
| special needs individuals by the U.S. government are | | | | this is that many of these lawyers specializing in |
| better than nothing. However, these benefits such as | | | | special needs and disability cases often have family |
| Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security | | | | members with special needs or a disability. With such a |
| Disability Insurance (SSDI) can be forfeited if the | | | | personal involvement and familiarity, some attorneys |
| special needs individual inherits just a couple thousand | | | | may offer services at rock bottom fair prices only |
| dollars or earns a certain small dollar amount from | | | | because it is what is just and fair. |
| even part-time work. One major challenge is that the | | | | The great advantage of selecting an attorney who |
| requirements to satisfy the governmental limits can | | | | does have a special needs family member is that the |
| change and often do every year. | | | | lawyer is more likely to be intimately familiar with the |
| Two of the several changes or potential changes | | | | ins and outs of the specific needs of the disabled or |
| pertaining to the benefits a special needs or disabled | | | | special needs individual pertaining to living wills, estate |
| individual may receive have been: in February of 2009 | | | | planning and the future medical and financial matters. A |
| a bill was introduced to congress which was designed | | | | family may run the risk of having an attorney |
| to aid the financial needs of disabled or special needs | | | | inexperienced with these situations if the lawyer is not |
| individual. Much like a 529 account which allows a | | | | personally involved with the laws and needs of the |
| parent to save for a child's future education, this bill | | | | disabled. |