July is Disability Pride Month. It is this month that we get the opportunity to celebrate what makes each person living with a disability unique. The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law in July 1990. Therefore, we now take July as a time to celebrate and honor each person living with some disability. It’s about reclaiming their visibility in public and coming together to uplift each other. We observe this month by celebrating Special Needs Children.
Each July, we can recognize the achievement, experiences and struggles of the disabled community. People with disabilities include a diverse population with a wide range of needs. As The Arc of Larimer County reminds us, there are many types of intellectually and physically disabled people. From a learning disability, vision impairment and autism – and we all need to learn how to interact and live with each other.
Parents of children with a disability face additional struggles. Understanding how to care for a disabled child while learning how to plan for their future is challenging. That is why we must come together, learn from and educate each other to raise these super-kids.
One way to help prepare your disabled child is to establish a Special Needs Trust.
With June being Disability Pride Month, now is the perfect time to establish a Special Needs Trust for your child. A special needs trust allows someone with a disability to receive governmental funds while receiving money to help with other aspects of their life. Government aid such as Social Security and Medicaid is based on income. This means that if your child receives an inheritance after you pass, they may not be able to receive the federal aid they badly need.
With a special needs trust, you can set up a fund that can be used to supplement your child’s benefits. The trust money can help cover costs that Social Security does not cover, such as a home, a caretaker, special wheelchairs, to pay for a vacation or a computer.
You can set up the trust to help your child now and ensure they are taken care of after you are gone. It’s important to work with an estate planning attorney who understands the different types of Special Needs Trusts.
Do you have questions about protecting the future of your special needs child in Illinois? Our experienced special needs trust attorneys understand applicable laws and can advise you on the best options to protect your family. Contact the Estate & Probate Legal Group at 630-864-5835.
AREAS WE SERVE: Cook, Dupage, Kane, Lake, and Will counties
