The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) has designated October as "National Special Needs Law Month." Special Needs Law attorneys throughout the country contribute a great deal to their communities by educating those with special needs, their families, and caregivers about their legal needs.
In honor of National Special Needs Law Month, Achieva Family Trust would like to take this opportunity to remind readers of the importance of future planning for individuals with disabilities and their family members. While it is important to plan for all aspects of an individual's future, for many the most important thing to consider is the preservation of crucial government benefits such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid. These benefits are contingent upon an individual having no more than $2,000 in available resources in order to maintain eligibility. Although an individual may be subject to this strict resource limitation, the creation of a Special Needs Trust will allow an individual's parents or other family members to leave money in trust for the individual's benefit without compromising government supports and services.
Please visit www.achievafamilytrust.org for additional information on future planning, as well as a free future planning guide and list of attorneys who are able to assist you with your future planning needs. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at familytrust@achieva.info or 412.995.5000 x565
The U.S. Department of Labor today announced earlier this month, that, in recognition of the vital role people with disabilities play in making the nation’s workforce diverse and inclusive, “Disability: Part of the Equity Equation” has been chosen as the theme for October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month 2022.
Led by its Office of Disability Employment Policy, the department’s annual observance of National Disability Employment Awareness Month acknowledges the contributions to the nation’s economy made by workers with disabilities, current and past. The commemoration also showcases supportive and inclusive policies and practices benefiting workers and employers.
“A strong workforce is the sum of many parts, and disability has always been a key part of the equation,” said Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn M. Williams. “People with disabilities make up a wonderfully multifaceted group. By recognizing the full complexion of our community, we can ensure our efforts to achieve disability inclusion are, in fact, truly inclusive.”