Home Page

About Us

Estate Planning

MassHealth (Medicaid) Planning

MassHealth Applications

Special Needs Law

General Practice

Contact Us

SPECIAL NEEDS LAW

Caring for a family member with special needs is rewarding, but at the same time can be a daunting undertaking.  Aside from the physical and emotional investments you supply, you have to be able to navigate and advocate for your loved one's rights with a variety of governmental agencies, including but not limited to the:

1. Massachusetts Department of Education;
2. Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services;
3. Massachusetts Department of Health and Human Services / MassHealth; and
4. Social Security Administration. 

In addition, planning for your loved one's future takes on special challenges of its own.  Who will be responsible for that person once you are gone?  How can you make sure that person will be provided for, for the duration of his/her life?  How do you leave an inheritance to someone with special needs?   Will that person lose their public benefits if you leave something to them?

We understand the legal and social mazes you face, and can help you maneuver through them.  Our office will take some of the weight off your shoulders, and advocate for your loved one's rights with the necessary agencies.  We will work with you and the local schools to ensure that your loved one is getting an adequate and appropriate education, and that the State is bearing their financial responsibility of such until age 22.  We will help you apply for the public benefits that your loved one is entitled to, to make sure that he/she is receiving the necessary financial, medical, and social care that will improve his/her quality of life.  We will coordinate with our disability advocates to determine what rehabilitative and/or community programs are available for your loved one, if there is medical and/or adaptive equipment that would assist with your loved one's care and safety, and whether any additional evaluations or testing is recommended.

We also understand the complications that arise with estate planning for both yourself and your loved one when you have a family member with special needs.  We can help you develop an estate plan that will ensure that person is provided for according to your wishes, while still accounting for the other able-bodied people in your life.  We specialize in developing estate plans and special needs trusts to ensure that your loved one will continue to receive the benefits that he/she is entitled to, yet still allow them to fully benefit from the assets you or they have set aside.