NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (April 16, 2012) – Hospital for Special Care Foundation announced that it will be presenting a seminar on protecting the assets of disabled adults and children through a Special Needs Trust on Friday, May 18, 2012 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in The Howey Family Conference Center at Hospital for Special Care in New Britain. This seminar is open to the public at no charge, and seating will be limited.
A Special Needs Trust establishes a source of funds for a disabled family member that supplements but does not replace government benefits. The trust ensures a loved one's needs and quality of life will be taken care of well into the future.
"A Special Needs Trust can greatly enhance the life of a disabled beneficiary that is stepping into the place of a family member who can no longer assist the beneficiary and provides a 'safety net' for covering those costs public assistance does not provide such as transportation, companion care, and recreational activities," said attorney D. Jeanne Messick, president of the Middletown law firm Dzialo, Pickett & Allen, P.C. and seminar presenter.
Attorney Messick has been in practice since 1983. Her areas of expertise include trusts, estate planning, elder law, probate and special needs planning.
Attendees will learn who needs to consider such a trust, how the trust works and long-term advantages of this type of planning for a loved one with complex medical needs. Ideal participants for this seminar are parents and disabled children receiving government benefits, such as Medicaid or SSI; a grandparent of a disabled grandchild; a disabled person who may inherit assets from a relative in the future, as well as a caregiver, guardian, or sibling who wishes to ensure that a disabled loved one has a "safety net" for non-funded costs, such as travel and recreation. In addition, legal opportunities and restrictions in connection with the creation of special needs trusts will be discussed.
To register for the seminar, please call Kathleen Altieri at 860.832.6257 by Tuesday, May 15, 2012.