First Party Special Needs Trusts Should be Reviewed in Light of a Recent New Jersey Court Ruling

Posted on April 30, 2010 by Mary W. Browning

A New Jersey appeals court upheld Medicaid’s denial of benefits after finding that the First Party Special Needs Trust for the benefit of the applicant did not shelter the applicant’s assets.

Medicaid determined, and the court agreed, that a First Party Special Needs Trust will not shelter an applicant’s assets unless and until the Social Security Administration or the New Jersey Disability Review Team determines that the beneficiary of such trust meets the federal definition of “disabled.” In other words, the fact that the applicant may meet the definition of “disabled” is irrelevant unless the Social Security Administration or the state Disability Review Team actually makes this determination.

In addition, the court agreed with Medicaid’s determination that the Special Needs Trust was not an irrevocable trust as required by law because the terms of the Special Needs Trust allowed the trust to terminate if it was deemed an available resource to the beneficiary for purposes of obtaining state or federal benefits.

Interestingly, this Special Needs Trust was previously approved by a New Jersey Law Division judge in connection with the applicant’s workers’ compensation case.

If you or a loved one is the beneficiary of a New Jersey First Party Special Needs Trust, you should have an attorney review the trust in light of this case in order to avoid a similar result.

For the full text of the case, see J.C. v. Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services (N.J. Super. Ct., App. Div., Nos. A-5632-07T25632-07T2, A-6297-07T2, Feb. 8, 2010).
 

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Legal Settlements and Special Needs Trusts

Posted on March 18, 2010 by Mary W. Browning

Individuals who become disabled as a result of an accident may receive a monetary award as part of a legal settlement of the case. If this happens, it is important that the individual, prior to finalizing the settlement, speak with a special needs attorney to determine the best way for the settlement to be paid.

The two most common types of pay-outs are the structured settlement and the lump-sum payment. The structured settlement often consists of an income stream (in the form of an annuity) as well as lump-sum payments that may be made at certain times, such as certain birthdates. The payments are usually based on the beneficiary’s life expectancy.

Whether an individual elects a structured settlement or a lump sum, these assets are considered assets of the individual. If, as a result of the disability, the individual would qualify to receive government benefits such as Medicaid but for the monetary award, the individual should consider having the award distributed to a trust for his or her benefit. An individual cannot have assets in excess of $2,000 in his or her name in order to qualify for Medicaid and SSI. If the award is paid to the individual, this eligibility test is not met. If instead, these payments are made to a First Party Special Needs Trust, the individual’s eligibility for governmental benefits is preserved. At the individual’s death, the remaining trust assets will be used to reimburse Medicaid for any money it has expended. Any money left in the trust can pass to successor beneficiaries named in the trust.
 

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Who Can Set Up a Special Needs Trust?

Posted on December 1, 2009 by Mary W. Browning

The answer depends on what type of Special Needs Trust – a Third Party Special Needs Trust or a First Party Trust.

A third party trust, that is created to hold assets of another person for the benefit of the person with special needs, can be set up by anyone who is over the age of 18 and has the mental capacity to create such a trust. Typically, a parent or grandparent sets up a third party trust because they are usually the ones who are leaving assets to the person with special needs. However, with older couples, sometimes one spouse sets one up for the surviving spouse. In addition, a friend or other non-relative may set up a third party special needs trust to be the recipient of gifts from other friends of the person with special needs.

A first party trust, which is a trust created to own the assets of the special needs person, can only be created by a parent, grandparent, guardian or court. First Party Trusts have many more requirements than third party trusts and it is important that all formalities, starting with the creator of such trust, are followed.
 

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