In New Jersey, many residents rely on government benefits for financial assistance. However, in order to qualify for government benefits, there is an income and asset limit. Utilizing a special needs trust may allow a person to qualify for government benefits without leaving them impoverished. A special needs trust may be executed by a person prior to becoming disabled, or by a qualifying family member on a person’s behalf after they have become disabled or otherwise qualified for government benefits. Utilizing a special needs trust may allow a person to qualify for government benefits without leaving them impoverished. A special needs trust may be executed by a person prior to becoming disabled, or by a qualifying family member on a person’s behalf after they have become disabled or otherwise qualified for government benefits. Continue reading “Options to Qualify For Government Benefits Without Leaving Yourself Impoverished”
Tag: disability
New Rule Protects Seniors and Disabled Adults from Financial Exploitation
With technology becoming increasingly prominent in our every day lives, the risk of financial exploitation has increased as well. Those that are especially at risk include the elderly and adults with mental or physical impairments and scammers know to take advantage of them. Instances of financial exploitation commonly involve:
- Telephone scams requesting money for a loved one in trouble; financial information; donations; or claiming you are the winner of a lottery or sweepstakes
- Professional” scams where people are pressured into taking out loans or participating in investment schemes that promise unrealistic returns
- Misuse of a Power of Attorney or joint bank accounts by family members
Continue reading “New Rule Protects Seniors and Disabled Adults from Financial Exploitation”
What Happens to Student Loan Debt after You Die or Become Disabled?
If you die or become disabled unexpectedly while carrying student loan debt, it becomes even more difficult to pay it off. What happens to you were to die or become disabled with this debt? With students carrying hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loan debt after graduation, a tragic life event can leave the borrower and/or their family with a mountain of debt that may be impossible to pay off. Some may try to write it off, but bankruptcy regulations forbid them from doing so, barring extreme circumstances.
Continue reading “What Happens to Student Loan Debt after You Die or Become Disabled?”
DDD and Medicaid
If a recipient needs services from the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), that recipient must qualify for Medicaid. The changes enacted have affected many DDD recipients.
Any new DDD application is required to meet the functional criteria and have Medicaid eligibility before they can begin receiving any services. If a person already receives DDD benefits but has not secured Medicaid, that individual must become Medicaid eligible to ensure continuation of current services and prior to receiving any new service.
ABLE Act
On December 19, 2014, the President signed into law the Achieving a Better Life (ABLE) Act of 2014, which allows for disabled persons to have limited savings accounts, without jeopardizing any governmental benefits received by that disabled person. The Treasury is to create regulations with respect to ABLE act accounts. The ABLE account is intended to be similar to a 529 Plan. There is a limit on what can be contributed to the account, but the disabled person would have the ability to withdraw monies from the account to meet his or her needs on an on-going basis.
