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Special Needs Resources Online: A Family Guide
Learning that your child has a developmental disability can feel overwhelming. Many families are suddenly asked to make decisions while also trying to understand medical terms, school processes, and available supports. Online resources can
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Autism Therapy Billing - What Parents Should Know
Due to Medicaid expansion and a rise in autism diagnoses, applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy has seen huge spending increases as well as fraud, making it vital for parents to ensure high-quality care.
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Who Are the Key Players in Special Needs Planning?
Many professionals offer specialized services to individuals with disabilities and their families. Understanding what these professionals do can help families support their loved one with a disability.
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ABLE Accounts for Housing Without Losing Benefits
One of the most practical uses of an ABLE account is paying housing costs such as rent and utilities directly while staying aligned with Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid rules.
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What a New Report Reveals About Disability Benefits in 2025
A new report details changes to the nation's disability benefits system during 2025 and highlights the people most affected by those changes.
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11 Common Special Needs Planning Acronyms
Here are 11 common acronyms in special needs planning and what to expect when you encounter them.
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How Art Museums Are Serving People With Visual Impairments
Making art accessible is both a matter of rights and common sense. People with disabilities deserve equal access to cultural heritage, and accessible experiences also attract more visitors and strengthen cultural tourism.
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Section 504 Faces New Legal Challenge
A recent lawsuit raises a fundamental question: Who decides how disability rights rules are applied – states or the federal government?
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Helpful Tax Filing Tips for People With Disabilities
Filing taxes can be time-consuming and complicated, but there are some available resources, benefits, and tax credits that can help individuals with disabilities lower their tax liability and boost their savings.
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How Assistive Technology Benefits Students With Disabilities
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates that schools must consider and provide necessary Assistive Technology, but a new federal report found that many schools struggle to provide AT due to some systemic barriers.
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Study: Autism in Girls May Be Just as Common as in Boys
A new study suggests that autism may be just as prevalent among girls and boys, but that girls have generally been diagnosed later than boys.
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Prepare for Your First Individualized Education Plan Meeting
Many parents feel intimidated at the thought of attending their child’s first Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting, but with adequate preparation it can be an informative, successful and (relatively) stress-free experience.
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Case Alleges Abuse at Center for People With Autism
When parents move their child to a facility for people with autism, they trust the facility's staff to give their child the care and respect they deserve. But what happens when their child endures abuse while living in the facility?
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Driver's License Designations for Individuals With Autism
Some states now let people with autism and other communication disabilities choose to add a symbol or note to their driver’s license or state ID to alert law enforcement that the individual may communicate differently.
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Two Common Special Needs Trust Mistakes Families Make
Even a well-intentioned special needs trust trustee or other caring family members can make mistakes that may put a person with a disability at risk of losing public benefits such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid.
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4 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Professional Trustee
Not every potential trustee provides the best services for trusts designed for children with special needs. Here are some questions to ask while searching for the right one for your new trust.
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Best Cities to Live in for People With Disabilities
The best cities for people with disabilities to live in, according to a WalletHub analysis of 182 U.S. cities, score highest on a combination of quality of life, health care, and economy factors.
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End-of-Life Care Planning for Individuals With Special Needs
Discussing end-of-life care with a loved one who has an intellectual or developmental disability is about honoring who they are, what matters to them, and how they want to live.
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Disability Planning Numbers Updates for 2026
Disability planning number changes for 2026.
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Sixth Circuit: Night Blindness Can Be a Disability Under ADA
The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a jury’s verdict that an employer had violated the ADA by failing to accommodate her asthma condition, discriminating against her night blindness, and retaliating for requesting an accomodation.
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The Benefits of Establishing a Special Needs Trust Early
One of the most powerful tools available to help secure a stable financial future for a child with special needs is a special needs trust (SNT).
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The State of Family Caregiving in the United States
An estimated 63 million Americans are serving as family caregivers. That is roughly one in four adults providing often unpaid care for a relative or friend with a disability, chronic illness, or other serious condition.
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SCOTUS to Determine Definition of Intellectual Disability
The United States Supreme Court could soon give greater clarity to how intellectual disability is determined.
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ABLE Accounts Will Be Available for More People in 2026
Starting January 1, 2026, the maximum age of disability onset for ABLE account eligibility will increase from 26 to 46 due to the ABLE Age Adjustment Act.
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Special Needs Trusts as a Safeguard for Medicaid Eligibility
Special needs trusts enable people with disabilities to receive financial support without losing eligibility for needs-based government benefits such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income.
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2.8 Percent Increase in 2026 for SSI and SSDI Recipients
A slight raise in benefits payments is coming in 2026 for Americans who rely on Social Security disability benefits programs such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
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5 Downsides to ABLE Accounts You Should Know About
ABLE accounts are tax-advantaged savings accounts that people with disabilities can use to cover qualified disability-related expenses.
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Medical Decision-Making for Individuals With Chronic Disease
Legal documents such as advance health care directives, health care powers of attorney, and HIPAA authorizations allow people to maintain control over their care, even if they cannot advocate for themselves.
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Legal Guardianship for Minor Children With Special Needs: 3 Steps
Out of all of the decisions that parents of children with special needs have to confront, the choice of a guardian stands out as one of the most difficult.
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How Can Purple Alerts Help People With Disabilities?
Like Amber Alerts for children and Silver Alerts for older adults, Purple Alerts raise public awareness when an adult with a cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disability goes missing.
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Key Documents for Parents of Children With Special Needs
If your child has special needs, a standard estate plan may not be adequate for your family. Here are several must-have documents.
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Caring for Yourself and Your Child With Special Needs
For many parents of children with special needs, caregiving is not a temporary role but a lifelong responsibility. This role can be deeply meaningful and filled with love, yet it often comes at a steep personal cost.
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How to Prepare to Apply for Disability Benefits through Social Security
In 2024, the Social Security Administration rejected more than 60 percent of initial disability benefits applications. Preparing to apply for Social Security disability can be crucial to avoiding this and successfully securing benefits.
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ABLE Accounts: Big Changes Coming in 2025-2027
Takeaways The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and the ABLE Age Adjustment Act are introducing significant changes to ABLE accounts, expanding eligibility and increasing contribution opportunities. The OBBBA, effective July 4, 2025,...
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30 Questions to Ask When Looking for a Group Home
The following questions can help guide people with disabilities and their loved ones in deciding if a group home is right for them.
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Driver's License Markers for People With Autism
A New Jersey program allows individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or other communication disorders to have a voluntary designation on their driver's licenses or ID cards to alert law enforcement.
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Disability Advocates Sue Social Security Administration
Disability advocates are suing the Social Security Administration. The lawsuit highlights barriers to accessing Social Security services, including staffing reductions and long wait times, that unduly affect vulnerable populations.
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Feds Allow Subminimum Wages for Disabled Workers to Continue
By withdrawing a proposed rule change, the Trump administration is allowing employers to continue to pay workers with disabilities less than minimum wage.
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Dyslexia Screenings in Early Education
Although teachers cannot diagnose dyslexia formally, screenings at school can help flag students who may have characteristics of the learning disability.
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Is Autism Considered a Disability?
Takeaways Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition that affects communication, behavior, and social interaction, and is legally and medically recognized as a disability. Federal laws such as the Americans with...
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Relocating? Ensure Your Special Needs Plan Moves With You
Takeaways Relocating to a new state with a child who has disabilities presents challenges in finding familiar services and navigating different state regulations for special needs trusts and government programs. It is crucial to...
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The Effects of Private Equity Firms on Disability Services
The recent trend of private equity firms acquiring companies that provide disability services is having detrimental effects on individuals who rely on these services.
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Special Needs Planning for Blended Families
For blended families that include a child with special needs, financial and legal planning extends well beyond the usual parental concerns. But as with all family matters, proactive planning can help.
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How to Get an Expedited Reinstatement of Your SSDI Benefits
Since not all disabilities are permanent, some people are able to return to work and no longer need SSDI. But what happens if a person's disability returns or worsens and, again, prevents them from working?
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Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorder 'Registry' Sparks Concerns
The Department of Health and Human Services has announced a plan to research the cause of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which includes compiling data about people with autism to determine what environmental factors may be related.
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AI Tools Can Support Families Navigating Special Needs Care
Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to support families caring for a disabled loved one with certain tasks.
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Shared Living Arrangements for Individuals With Disabilities
Shared living arrangements offer an alternative to institutional living, providing individuals with disabilities a sense of community integration, independence, and tailored support.
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The Risks of Crowdfunding for People With Special Needs
While crowdfunding through social media and platforms such as GoFundMe can provide a financial lifeline for individuals with disabilities, it also carries risks, particularly regarding eligibility for means-tested government benefits.
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DOJ Rescinds Multiple ADA Guidance Documents
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is removing 11 pieces of guidance clarifying how businesses can comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
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10 Tips to Consider for Special Needs Planning
Careful planning for a loved one with special needs is critical in protecting their future. This article offers tips and a comprehensive approach to care and financial support without affecting government benefits
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Fighting Health Insurance Claim Denials
Insurance companies deny a significant number of health insurance claims for millions of people each year, including individuals with disabilities, but many denials can be successfully appealed.
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ABLE Accounts: When the Beneficiary Is No Longer Disabled
If an ABLE account has been set up for a person with special needs, what happens to the account if the beneficiary no longer qualifies as “disabled” according to IRS regulations due to medical improvement or inaccurate diagnosis?
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How Long Does It Take Before SSDI Benefits Begin?
A waiting period helps ensure that SSDI applicants genuinely have a lasting disability, not a short-term illness or injury from which they may recover.
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How Education Cuts May Affect Students With Disabilities
The second Trump administration has recently made significant budget cuts to the United States Department of Education and has made clear its intention to close the department permanently.
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Working? You May Be Eligible for This Tax Credit
Working individuals may be unaware that they qualify for potential tax breaks. Many taxpayers who have a limited earned income overlook the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).
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Lawsuit Threatens Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
In September 2024, 17 states filed a lawsuit, Texas v. Becerra, against the United States arguing that Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is unconstitutional.
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Rideshare Apps: Pros and Cons for People With Disabilities
For individuals with disabilities, rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft can be both a valuable resource and a source of frustration.
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A Vocational Training Program for Students With Disabilities
Many parents are unaware of a half-billion-dollar federal program providing funding to states that is supposed to help students with disabilities enter the workforce when they leave high school.
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Helpful Tax Filing Tips for Individuals With Disabilities
Filing taxes can be time-consuming and complicated, but there are some available resources, benefits, and tax credits that can help individuals with disabilities lower their tax liability and boost their savings.
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How to Report Income for SSI Benefits
Because Supplemental Security Income (SSI) eligibility and benefit amounts depend on financial need, recipients must report all sources of income to the SSA.
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How Life Care Planners Help Individuals With Disabilities
Life care planners play an important role in helping individuals with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or catastrophic injuries navigate their future care needs.
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Should 529 Funds Be Transferred to an ABLE Account?
Due to recent tax law changes, families with special needs children may be thinking about rolling existing 529 funds into ABLE accounts. But before you do, make sure you understand how these two accounts work and how they differ.
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Social Security Simplifies Online SSI Application
The Social Security Administration has launched a simplified online application for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for some adults.
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How Medicaid Changes Could Affect People With Disabilities
Some pundits claim that the incoming Trump administration is considering cuts to the Medicaid program that could be detrimental to people with disabilities and other populations.
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For People With Autism, New Law Signals Renewed Support
President Joe Biden signed the Autism CARES Act of 2024 in early January.
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How Assistive Technology Can Support Independent Living
For individuals with disabilities, assistive technology (AT) in the home can provide increased independence, enhance safety, and improve overall quality of life.
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Disability Planning Numbers Updates for 2025
Disability planning number changes for 2025.
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Estate Planning for Parents of Children With Mental Illness
Planning for the future of a child with mental illness involves careful consideration of their unique needs and circumstances.
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A Comparison of Special Needs Trusts and ABLE Accounts
Every family has different needs and circumstances when assessing whether a special needs trust or ABLE account is the better option for their loved one with disabilities.
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Feds Examine Policies Affecting People With Disabilities
The National Council on Disability released its annual progress report on national disability policy, offering recommendations regarding employment, travel, housing, technology, and disability population data collection.
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Career Development for Veterans, People With Disabilities
Navigating the job market and achieving career growth can come with unique challenges for individuals with disabilities. To this end, the U.S. government has developed resources tailored to support people with disabilities, including vetera
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Extra Income and SSI Eligibility: A Delicate Dance
Most people would jump at the chance to earn additional income or to receive a large cash gift from a friend or relative. But for SSI recipients, extra income sometimes causes more problems than it's worth.
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9 Common Misconceptions About Pooled Trusts
There are some misconceptions surrounding pooled trusts, which are valuable tools for those in need of long-term care when their income exceeds Medicaid's limits.
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Special Needs Registries for Individuals With Disabilities
Some behavioral traits caused by a person's medical condition can be interpreted as combative by law enforcement officers. For this reason, registries for individuals with disabilities, also known as special needs registries, are becoming i
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The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP)
Military members who have a dependent living with a disability may face unique challenges. Their loved one may need special medical care or tailored educational services. The Exceptional Family Member Program provides support.
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Reasonable Accommodations: Accessibility in the Workplace
Providing reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities is one key element in creating a more inclusive work environment.
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Report: How Feds Can Improve HCBS for People With IDD
In a new report, an independent committee outlines recommended strategies for improving community integration for the more than 7 million people in the U.S. with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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To Marry or Not to Marry: A Story of Disability Benefits
Imagine not being able to marry or even live with the person you love. Understanding how marriage affects means-tested disability benefits is extremely important to long-term planning.
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Game-Changer for SSI: Beginning 10/1/2024, SSA Overhauls Food and Rent Rules
The Social Security Administration (SSA) implements new rules that overhaul how rent subsidies and food assistance are handled.
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ABLE Accounts Can Play a Key Role in Special Needs Plans
ABLE accounts can enhance quality of life for people with disabilities, offering financial protection while preserving access to public benefits for some individuals.
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Few Parents Know About Child Care Resources for Disabilities
A new GAO report found that parents of children with disabilities experience many barriers to finding child care that meets their needs.
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Bill of Rights for Airline Passengers With Disabilities
Every day, people with disabilities must navigate airports, airplanes, and related forms of conveyance. To ensure they receive fair and equal treatment when traveling by air, Congress passed the Air Carrier Access Act in 1986.
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SSA Names 9 New Compassionate Allowance Conditions in 2024
For people living with rare and severe health conditions, getting fast-tracked access to Social Security disability benefits can mean the difference between life and death. Each year, the Social Security Administration (SSA) typically...
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Funding a Special Needs Trust With a Structured Settlement
A structured settlement is ideally suited as partial or full funding for a first-party special needs trust with a disabled beneficiary. It also lowers administration costs since only trust assets are subject to fees.
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Bill Would Make Expiring ABLE Account Provisions Permanent
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 made significant changes to the U.S. tax code. Many of its provisions are set to expire, or "sunset," at the end of 2025.
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How To Get a Disabled Parking Permit
Understanding the types of disabled parking permits available, the process for obtaining them, and where they can be used is necessary for those who require these accommodations.
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Disability Rights and Service Animals
Disability service animals play a crucial role in assisting individuals with disabilities. However, despite legal protections, discrimination against individuals with service animals still occurs.
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Social Security Simplifies Disability Benefits Evaluations
Social Security's process for evaluating and approving disability claims has traditionally been complex and rigorous. However, the SSA has made recent changes to simplify the evaluation process for applicants.
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Microschools as an Option for Students With Disabilities
By law, public schools in the United States must provide services and support for students with special needs. However, some families find that an alternative to public schooling, known as microschools, better suits their specific needs.
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Voting Rights for People With Disabilities
Over the decades, various federal laws have been enacted to protect Americans’, including individuals with disabilities, voting rights.
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Impairment-Related Work Expenses and Disability Benefits
SSDI and SSI both allow working beneficiaries to deduct certain work-related expenses from their countable income, making it easier to qualify for benefits or, in the case of SSI, get a larger benefit.
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What Assets Count When Applying for SSI?
To be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), an applicant can have no more than $2,000 in assets. However, not all assets count towards the $2,000 limit.
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I'm on SSDI. Can I Work and Keep My Disability Benefits?
The Social Security Administration offers several programs to encourage disability benefits recipients to hold a job.
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An Uncertain Future: Money Follows the Person (MFP) Program
Since it was established in 2005, the Medicaid Money Follows the Person (MFP) Program has given people with disabilities the choice between living in a long-term care facility or receiving care in their home or a community-based setting.
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Avoiding the Child Support - Supplemental Security Income Trap
Unfortunately, when an SSI beneficiary's parent is ordered to pay child support, those payments can end up interfering with the beneficiary's access to government benefits. But there is a solution.
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Feds Bolster Protections Against Disability Discrimination
In May 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and its Office for Civil Rights published a final rule strengthening protections for people with disabilities.
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Individualized Education Plans in Special Needs Planning
If you have a child with special needs, you may be wondering how you can ensure that their educational needs will be met and they will get the most out of their school experience. You are not alone.
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Social Security Is Simplifying How To Charge "Appropriate" Rent For SSI Purposes
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has published a final rule simplifying how "rent" affects Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
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How AI Is Supporting Assistive Technology
Artificial intelligence is helping those with disabilities overcome challenges to participate more actively in society, education, and the workforce. Government benefits can help people pay for assistive technology.
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Preventing Guardianship Abuse of People With Disabilities
For a variety of reasons, people with special needs are more likely to suffer physical, mental and financial abuse than are others. Here are some ways to prevent and recognize abuse.
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Supporting Twice Exceptional (2e) Students
Twice exceptional students are a unique group. They are gifted students with disabilities who typically excel in certain subjects but may struggle or be at grade level in others.
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Supplemental vs. Special Needs Trusts: Any Difference?
You may have heard the terms "special" needs trust and "supplemental" needs trust and wondered what the difference is. The short answer is that there's no difference. Here's the long answer.
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Food Will No Longer Count as Income for SSI Recipients
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced a major change regarding how it calculates In-Kind Support and Maintenance for recipients SSI. Beginning later this year, the SSA will no longer count "free food" as income.
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Mental Health Parity: What It Is and Why It Still Matters
People coping with mental illness or substance abuse disorder often face significant barriers to getting the treatment they need. This issue of "parity" hinges on fair and equitable access to care and preventing discrimination.
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Independent Living for People With Disabilities
People with disabilities often face barriers to living on their own. However, a variety of community-based options present an alternative to long-term care facilities, helping individuals with disabilities maintain autonomy.
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Should A Special Needs Trust End If Beneficiary Recovers?
When creating a special needs trust for a beneficiary whose disability may end at some point, should the attorney write a clause into the special needs trust stating that the trust will dissolve if the beneficiary's disability ends?
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Legal Guardianship for Adults With Serious Mental Illness
Many people with mental health challenges can live independent lives. However, those with severe impairments may need additional help.
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Home Ownership For People With Disabilities
The rental market is often ill-equipped to provide the specific adaptations many individuals with disabilities require. Fortunately, there are many ways to provide private housing for a person living with a disability.
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Employment Up for People With Disabilities But Gaps Remain
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently published its 2023 report on employment among people with disabilities. Per the findings, the disability community last year encountered an increase in employment - its highest rate on record.
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A Social Security Spousal Benefits Loophole for Caregivers
A little-known provision in the Social Security regulations allows the spouse of a retiree to also receive Social Security benefits, even if they have not yet reached retirement age, so long as they are caring for a child with disabilities.
Read MoreSocial Security Proposes Changes to SSI In Kind Support & Maintenance Rules
The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a different standard to determine Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for people in different states. Now SSA is proposing to update it rules to treat beneficiaries more equitably....
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Your Will Can Protect Your Children With Disabilities
August signifies National Make-a-Will Month. For the one in five families who care for children with special needs, estate planning is crucial.
Read MoreChanges to Disability Laws in CT
On June 27, 2023, CT legislature passed Public Act 23-137, a sweeping law affecting individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). The full text of the law can be found here - https://cga.ct...
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