If you have a child with special needs, a trust may be a financial priority. There are many crucial goods and services that Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income might not pay for, and a special needs trust may be used to address those financial challenges. Most importantly, a special needs trust may help provide for your disabled child in case you are no longer able to care for them.
Using a trust involves a complex set of tax rules and regulations. Before moving forward with a trust, consider working with a professional who is familiar with these rules and regulations. We would be happy to refer you to a professional in our network if needed.
In planning a special needs trust, one of the most pressing questions is: when it comes to funding the trust, what are the choices?
There are four basic ways to build up a third-party special needs trust. One method is simply to pour in personal assets, perhaps from immediate or extended family members. Another possibility is to fund the trust with permanent life insurance. Proceeds from a settlement or lawsuit can also serve as the core of the trust assets. An inheritance can also provide the financial footing to start and fund this kind of trust.
Families choosing the personal asset route may put a few thousand dollars of cash or other assets into the trust to start, with the intention that the initial investment will be augmented by later contributions from grandparents, siblings, or other relatives. Those subsequent contributions can be willed to the trust, or the trust may be named as a beneficiary of a retirement or investment account.
When life insurance is used, the trustor makes the trust the beneficiary of the policy. When the trustor dies, the policy's death benefit is left to the trust.
With a structure in place that guides the trust, there is less likelihood of mismanagement, and funds may come out of the trust to support the beneficiary in a measured way that does not risk threatening government benefits.
Several factors will affect the cost and availability of life insurance, including age, health, and the type and amount of insurance purchased. Life insurance policies have expenses, including mortality and other charges. If a policy is surrendered prematurely, the policyholder also may pay surrender charges and have income tax implications. You should consider determining whether you are insurable before implementing a strategy involving life insurance. Any guarantees associated with a policy are dependent on the ability of the issuing insurance company to continue making claim payments.
The trust may also be funded with tangible, non-cash assets. Examples include real estate, securities, collections of cars or art or antiques, or even a business. These assets (and others like them) can be left to the trustee of the special needs trust via a revocable living trust or will. Just remember that the goal of the trust is to provide the trust beneficiary with cash. Those tangible assets will need to be sold or liquidated to meet that objective.
Currently, it costs about $3,500 to design a basic special needs trust. Given that initial expense and ongoing administrative costs, most families aim to place at least $100,000 inside these vehicles. The typical trustee is a corporate fiduciary (generally a bank or independent trust company) and annual administration fees commonly range from 0.5% to 1.5%. If the trustee is a relative of the child or a close friend of the family, administration may be done for free or at minimal cost.
Care must be taken not only in the setup of a special needs trust, but in the management of it as well. This should be a team effort. The family members involved should seek out legal and financial professionals who are well versed in this field, and the resulting trust should be a product of close collaboration.
Again, trusts are a complex financial construct. On top of dealing with the medical needs of your dependent, you must also be on top of the financial needs as well, which can become overwhelming. Having people on your team to help answer your questions and decode the complex information can be very helpful, and we would be happy to help your family.
Sources:
specialneedsanswers.com/the-top-7-reasons-to-establish-a-special-needs-trust-13358
specialneedsanswers.com/funding-a-special-needs-trust-with-life-insurance-the-basics-17359
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Published for the blog on May 28, 2020 by Searcy Financial Services, your Overland Park, Kansas Fee-Only Financial Planner and Investment Manager.
