Issues to Consider When Your Child with Special Needs Turns 22

Issues to Consider When Your Child with Special Needs Turns 22

If you have a child over the age of 18 who is currently receiving special education services, you likely had to make some important decisions and changes as your child turned 18 and became a legal adult. However, turning age …
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The Role of the Guardian Ad Litem in Guardianship Proceedings

guardian ad litem

Guardian ad litem is a term you have likely heard, but may not understand what it means or their role. When adults with special needs turn 18, they legally become adults. As a result, their parents’ legal rights to make …
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Working When an Adult with Special Needs Receives SSI or Social Security Disability Benefits

Social Security

When an adult with special needs receives any Social Security benefits, earning wages from working could affect those benefits. However, the impact that working can have on Social Security benefits depends largely on what type of benefits the adult receives …
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Supported Housing Options for Adult Children with Special Needs

Supported Housing Options for Adult Children with Special Needs

Many families choose to care for their adult children with special needs at home. However, as parents age, adult children become more independent, or their needs change, families may reassess their housing arrangements. Various supported housing options for adult children …
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What Happens to Public Benefits Eligibility if Your Child with Special Needs Marries?

What Happens to Public Benefits Eligibility if Your Child with Special Needs Marries

Some adults with special needs eventually choose to marry. When this happens, you may be concerned about the impact of your adult child’s marriage on their ability to continue to receive public benefits. When your adult child with special needs …
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How Social Security Evaluates A Trust As A Countable Resource

How Social Security Evaluates A Trust As A Countable Resource

A person’s resources affect the ability to qualify for crucial government benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) sets forth resource limits for SSI applicants and recipients. For example, to qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), countable resources must not be worth more …
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Qualifying For Disability Benefits As An Adult

Qualifying For Disability Benefits As An Adult

Social Security benefits are available through the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program to people who cannot work because they have a medical condition expected to last at least one year or result in death. Adults must meet a very …
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Social Security Recipients to Pocket 5.9% Benefit Increase

Social Security Recipients to Pocket 5.9% Benefit Increase

Recently, the federal government announced the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2022. This adjustment is applied to federal benefits to be disbursed in 2022. Many analysts expected that the COLA would be the highest since 1983 when it was 7.4 percent. …
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Understanding Eligibility Rules for Means-Tested Programs, Part Two

Understanding Eligibility Rules for Means-Tested Programs, Part Two

The second part of this blog will discuss the way that income is characterized for a means-tested entitlement program and how it affects a benefit award. The federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program rules distinguish between and characterize income in …
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Understanding Eligibility Rules for Means-Tested Programs, Part One

Understanding Eligibility Rules for Means-Tested Programs, Part One

Eligibility rules for many critical essential entitlements are means-based. Thus, any income and assets received by an individual with disabilities will affect the benefit awards that they potentially receive from these types of entitlement programs. Therefore, the effect of these …
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