Resources

U.S. Markets Stocks notched a solid gain in February thanks to growing optimism surrounding the economic recovery and decreasing number of COVID-19 infections. The Dow Jones Industrial Average led, picking up 3.17 percent. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 2.61 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite […]

U.S. Markets Stock prices surged in August as investors cheered positive news of a potential COVID-19 treatment and welcomed a month-long succession of upbeat economic data. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 7.57 percent, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index climbed 7.01 percent, and the Nasdaq […]

Note: Reprinted with permission of the Special Needs Alliance. One of the most common questions attorneys are asked after drafting a Special Needs Trust (“SNT”) is, “do I have to tell Social Security and Medicaid about the trust?”  The short answer is yes.  Of course, the […]

Note: Reprinted with permission of the Special Needs Alliance. Evaluating the Alternatives The last issue of The Voice introduced the True Link card, a customizable Visa card that enables individuals with special needs to conveniently make purchases without affecting their needs-based government benefits. Families and trustees […]

Just before the end of 2019, Congress passed and the President signed a spending bill that includes significant changes to retirement savings accounts. Known as the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act, this legislation changes rules around retirement plans in several key ways. […]

Prudent Investor Rule – A History The year was 1830 and the case was Harvard v Amory. In the case, Harvard college alleged that the trustees had willfully made high-risk bets in order to benefit the deceased man’s widow rather than establish a standard source of […]

A power of attorney is an incredibly powerful instrument that all people, regardless of wealth or status, need to consider. Powers of attorney generally fall into two types: healthcare and financial. A power of attorney for healthcare, also called a living will in some instances, directs […]

Divorce is often a particularly stressful time for families. When divorcing parents have a child with disabilities, sorting through the financial issues can get complicated. Extra care should be taken to ensure that there are no unintended financial consequences and that the family is making the […]

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federal program that provides cash assistance to people with disabilities who have very limited incomes and resources. In most cases, SSI recipients may also obtain a much more important benefit — automatic Medicaid eligibility. Because access to SSI depends on […]

While the concept of an individual retirement account (IRA) seems fairly straightforward, the rules that apply to distributions can be quite complicated. They are even more complex following your death, and the Internal Revenue Service has devoted some of the most complicated rules in the book […]