Achieva Family Trust

Empower people with disabilities by providing social service support and trust management 

A 2023 report by the Asset Funders Network and the National Disability Institute emphasizes that investing in the economic mobility of the 41 million Americans with disabilities is essential for achieving equitable financial outcomes. Due to systemic barriers, many people with disabilities struggle to achieve financial security. 

Achieva Family Trust (AFT) was founded in 1998 to help parents safeguard their child’s future when they have a disability as well as advocate for government regulations that help and not hinder people with disabilities. Our special needs trusts enable people with disabilities to protect their assets while still qualifying for essential government support, including medical care, home and community services, and Supplemental Security Income. 
 

NEED 

Achieva Family Trust helps to navigate the tricky regulations that can be a disincentive to building financial resources for the future. Additionally, traditional banks are often not willing to manage smaller trusts. Our special needs trusts and services we provide allow people to maintain access to essential supports while supplementing their benefits with trust funds. 

We offer several types of special needs trusts, each designed to meet unique needs and preserve funds for necessities like home modifications and specialized treatments. Achieva Family Trust serves over 2,700 beneficiaries, ensuring they retain access to lifelong support and services. With your support, we can expand these services across the state of Pennsylvania, particularly in areas that are underserved. 

SOLUTIONS 

Achieva Family Trust aims to enhance trust management and social services for people with disabilities by: 

• Expanding trust services. 
• Providing ongoing benefits counseling. 
• Extending income spend-down services for Medicaid waiver recipients. 

We strive to be a one-stop resource for people with disabilities, their families, and professionals, offering guidance on legal and financial options like special needs trusts to help preserve assets, maximize earnings, and maintain eligibility for essential healthcare benefits. 

With your support, we can further our mission by: 

• Expanding our Regional Trust Liaison program in more communities. 
• Increasing education and support for all Pennsylvanians, especially those from diverse backgrounds affected by current disability benefits issues. 
• Enhancing benefits counseling to ensure everyone who wants to work can do so while protecting essential benefits from Social Security and Medicaid to SNAP and LIHEAP. 
• Broadening community support for the elderly through income spend-down trusts. 

 

IMPACT 

Your support will help our team respond to daily inquiries we receive from families across Pennsylvania about financial stability and eligibility for government benefits related to trusts. Additional resources will allow us to expand our team and implement more sophisticated technology solutions to meet the growing need for services with greater efficiency. 

Our team supports people with disabilities throughout their lives. For transition-age students (14-24), our counseling helps them pursue employment without fear of losing crucial benefits like Medicaid. For adults and families, we collaborate with the government to streamline online applications for benefits like Medicaid and SNAP, serving as a resource for those who lost benefits after COVID-19. For those in their golden years, we administer an Income Spend Down Trust, treating them with dignity and respect while allowing individuals slightly over the income limit to access the benefits they need for home and community services. 

Your gift will also help us reach underserved minority and immigrant communities. Through outreach and partnerships, we aim to address cultural, linguistic, and financial barriers, expanding access to essential services for those in need. 

Marie, a 48-year-old woman with an intellectual disability, was living with her mother, Jeanne. Concerned about Marie’s future, Jeanne reached out to the Achieva Family Trust for guidance. Working with a local elder law attorney, she established a Third Party Special Needs Trust as part of her will. Unfortunately, Jeanne passed away just a year later. 

Thanks to her careful planning, Achieva Family Trust arranged temporary housing for Marie and supported her transition to a permanent living arrangement. The special needs trust provides financial resources to enrich Marie’s life while also safeguarding her eligibility for government benefits. Marie’s transition from sudden loss to new life opportunities was seamless, and she now has funds available to travel and pursue her interests. 

Why Achieva? 

It’s known as the Achieva effect: It’s the humanity, dignity, community, and support that more than 10,000 Pennsylvanians with disabilities experience every year because of the work we do at Achieva — with funding from caring advocates like you — supporting people with disabilities to lead lives of personal significance. Our housing, caregiving, employment, and advocacy programs have never been in higher demand. With support from our community, we can serve more people and do so more holistically than ever before. 

Support Bright Futures with Achieva. Donate Today. 

SupportBrightFutures.org | BeyondBoundaries@achieva.info | 888-272-7229