Special Needs Trust Attorney IN Needham

Protecting Your Loved One Without Risking Benefits

If you care for a child or adult with disabilities, you probably think often about what will happen when you are no longer here to support them. You want to leave money to improve their life, but you may have heard that an inheritance could cost them vital benefits. As a special needs trust attorney Needham families turn to, Lannik Law helps you plan for both security and quality of life.

At Lannik Law, we focus on thoughtful, customized estate planning and elder law built around real families. For more than 30 years, we have worked with parents, siblings, and other caregivers who want to protect a vulnerable loved one while keeping programs like SSI and MassHealth in place. Our firm is led by Certified Elder Law Attorney Susana Lannik, which means your planning is guided by an attorney with advanced training in the issues you face.

We know these decisions can feel heavy and complicated. Our goal is to give you clear information, a calm and organized process, and a plan that lets you move forward with greater peace of mind.

How Special Needs Trusts Protect Benefits

Many government benefit programs that support people with disabilities are needs based. These often include Supplemental Security Income and MassHealth. If your loved one owns too much in their own name, they can lose eligibility or face reductions. A special needs trust is designed to avoid that outcome while still making resources available for their care and comfort.

When you set up a special needs trust, you create a legal arrangement that holds assets for your loved one. A trustee manages those assets and uses them to pay for goods and services that improve your loved one’s life. Because the trust, not the individual, owns the assets, a properly designed trust can help preserve eligibility for many public benefits in Massachusetts.

The trust can often pay for things that make a real difference in day to day living, like personal items, hobbies, visits with family, certain therapies, transportation, or other supports that are not fully covered by public programs. At the same time, it is drafted with rules that work to avoid direct cash gifts to the beneficiary that might be counted as income or resources.

We regularly help families understand how special needs planning fits with the specific benefits their loved ones receive here in Massachusetts. We explain, in plain terms, what a trust can and cannot do, so you can make informed choices about funding, timing, and overall structure. When you work with a special needs trust lawyer Needham families rely on, you gain guidance that is grounded in both estate planning and elder law.

Our Approach To Special Needs Planning

Every family, and every person with disabilities, is unique. That is why we start by listening. In our initial conversations, we ask about your loved one’s abilities, daily routines, medical needs, and what you hope their life will look like in the years ahead. We also talk about your broader family, including the roles of siblings, relatives, or friends who may be part of the support network.

From there, we design legal solutions that fit your family instead of pulling a generic trust from a template. We look at your existing will or trust, your retirement accounts, and your life insurance, and we help you direct assets so they flow into the special needs trust instead of to your loved one outright. We also help you think carefully about trustee choices, whether that involves family members, professional trustees, or a combination.

Our attorney, Susana Lannik, brings decades of concentrated experience in Massachusetts estate planning and elder law, along with the Certified Elder Law Attorney credential. That combination matters in special needs planning, because the rules around benefits, gifting, and long term care can be complex. We work to anticipate issues that may arise as your loved one’s needs change and to build flexibility into your plan whenever possible.

Our trained and attentive staff support you through each step. We help gather information, coordinate documents, and keep you informed about what comes next. Many clients tell us that having an organized, predictable process makes it easier to move through what can feel like an emotional project. As a special needs trust attorney Needham families can meet with locally, we aim to provide both legal clarity and steady support.

Steps To Create A Special Needs Trust

Knowing that a special needs trust is useful is only part of the picture. You also need to understand what the process looks like, and how much work it will require from you. We break the project into clear stages and guide you at each point, so the planning feels manageable rather than overwhelming.

We usually begin with an initial consultation, in person or virtually, where we learn about your loved one and your goals. It is helpful, although not required, to bring information about any benefits they receive, your existing estate plan, and major assets such as retirement accounts or life insurance. During this meeting, we explain your options and help you decide whether a special needs trust should be part of your plan.

If you decide to move forward, we then gather any additional details we need and draft the trust and related documents. These may include a new will, a pour over provision to fund the trust, or changes to beneficiary designations. We review the drafts with you in plain English, so you understand what each section does. Our team welcomes questions and will revise documents so they align closely with your wishes.

Once you are comfortable, we arrange for signing in a way that complies with Massachusetts legal requirements. We also discuss practical steps like updating account beneficiaries and titling, so the trust is properly funded when the time comes. Throughout, our goal is to make the process as smooth as possible, with clear communication and realistic timelines. Working with a special needs trust lawyer Needham families trust gives you a partner to help coordinate all of these moving parts.

Working With A Needham Special Needs Lawyer

Choosing someone local to help with this planning can have real advantages. Our firm is based in Needham, and we work every day with Massachusetts rules that affect people with disabilities and their families. That includes how special needs trusts interact with programs like SSI and MassHealth, and how those rules can change over time.

When a person who lives here dies, their estate is commonly handled through the Probate and Family Court that serves this region. It is important that wills, trusts, and related documents are drafted with Massachusetts law in mind, so that administration can proceed more smoothly later. As a special needs trust attorney Needham families can reach easily, we are familiar with the practical realities involved in local estate and trust administration.

Many families appreciate the option of sitting down face to face to talk through sensitive topics, especially when they involve a child or sibling with disabilities. Others prefer video meetings for convenience. We offer both, so you can work with us in the way that feels most comfortable. Either way, you will work with a firm that is rooted in this part of Massachusetts and focused on long term relationships, not one time transactions.

If you live in Needham or the surrounding area and want to explore whether a special needs trust makes sense for your family, we invite you to reach out. In our first conversation, we focus on understanding your situation, answering your questions, and outlining possible next steps, so you can decide how to move forward.

Call (617) 431-2669 to schedule a conversation about your family’s special needs planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I set up a special needs trust?

It is usually wise to set up a special needs trust as soon as you know you want part of your estate to support a loved one with disabilities. Planning early gives you more options and time to coordinate beneficiary designations, but we also work with families who come to us later in life.

Will a special needs trust affect SSI or MassHealth?

A properly drafted special needs trust is designed to preserve eligibility for programs like SSI and MassHealth. The trust holds assets for your loved one’s benefit, rather than giving them assets directly. Exact effects depend on benefit rules and how the trust is funded, which we review with you in detail.

Who can serve as trustee for my loved one?

You can name a trusted family member, friend, professional trustee, or a combination as trustee. The right choice depends on family dynamics, asset levels, and the complexity of your loved one’s needs. We help you think through practical questions so you can choose someone who can realistically manage the role.

Can you review or update my existing plan?

Yes, we frequently review existing wills and trusts to see whether they work well for a loved one with disabilities. In many cases, we refine or replace older documents to add a special needs trust or correct provisions that could cause benefit problems. Our goal is to align your current plan with your present goals.

How does your firm charge for this planning?

We discuss fees with you openly before you decide to move forward. In many situations, we use flat fee arrangements for special needs planning, so you know the cost in advance. The exact fee depends on the complexity of your situation and the scope of work, which we outline clearly at the start.

Start Planning With Lannik Law

Taking the first step toward a special needs trust can feel daunting, but you do not have to figure it out alone. When you contact our firm, you connect with a team that has more than 30 years of focused estate planning and elder law experience and a Certified Elder Law Attorney guiding your plan.

We listen carefully, explain your options in everyday language, and create a customized strategy that reflects your loved one’s needs and your family’s values. Whether you are just starting to think about planning or you need to update an existing estate plan, we work to make the path forward clear and manageable. To talk with a special needs trust attorney Needham families rely on for thoughtful guidance, contact Lannik Law today.

Call (617) 431-2669 to schedule a conversation about your family’s special needs planning.