A Firm Providing Compassionate, Skilled Representation In Special Needs Planning
At The Law Office of Nicole C. Morris, P.A., our lawyer represents families who want to ensure their loved one can receive the care he or she requires. We are proud to not only serve as trusted counselors and resources for families across Florida but also to serve as trustees of special needs trusts, thereby providing peace of mind to caretakers that their loved ones’ needs will continue to be met once they are no longer able to do so. Our lawyer represents families across Florida who have children with all types of disabilities, and we hold a special place in our hearts for families dealing with autism. We represent families who have vulnerable beneficiaries, including those who struggle with substance abuse problems. We also represent individuals who have parents or other elderly relatives who require special needs planning.
Our Palm Beach special needs trust attorney builds strong relationships with our clients in order to understand exactly what they need. Once we understand our clients’ specific needs, we create the estate planning instrument that will accomplish these goals.
Special Needs Trusts Fund Care Without Jeopardizing Access To Benefits
Caring for a loved one with special needs presents a number of challenges. If you have a child with special needs, you fully understand the importance of ensuring that your child has sufficient resources for their care after you are unable to directly provide it. Most individuals with special needs are eligible for certain government benefits. However, acquiring money through an inheritance or other means could compromise an individual’s eligibility for these programs. By working with an experienced estate planning lawyer, you can design a special needs trust or other estate planning tool that will ensure your loved one has supplemental financial resources without jeopardizing eligibility for benefits.
One of the most common estate planning tools for individuals with special needs is the special needs trust. By creating a special needs trust, you can protect your loved one’s eligibility for government benefits, including Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid, while setting aside assets in a trust to be used for additional goods and services.
Caring For Vulnerable Beneficiaries With Addiction Or Other Personal Struggles
Witnessing a family member’s physical, mental and emotional deterioration due to mental health issues, addiction or another disability is heartbreaking. In the face of a loved one’s problem, our natural instinct is to do everything in our power to help, including providing financial resources. But without sufficient structures and safeguards in place, simply giving them with money often enables their dysfunction.
In these situations, it is vital for families and trustees to work with an attorney who understands the sensitive dynamics involved in these matters. For nearly two decades, Florida clients have trusted their legal needs to attorney Nicole C. Morris. Our law firm represents Florida families and trustees who are concerned that a beneficiary has mental health issues, disabilities or substance abuse problems. We provide the full range of trust administration and estate planning services, and we bring significant experience and guidance to this field of the law.
Utilizing Smart Planning Strategies And Statutory Resources
When a beneficiary suffers from addiction, mental health problems or a disability, we recognize the necessity of balancing the concern for that loved one with the trustee’s duties under law. We know that families want their loved one to receive the care that he or she needs. Our attorney also understands that each trustee has the duty to distribute trust assets to beneficiaries in the manner set forth by the settlor of the trust.
In this delicate area of law, there is simply no substitute for a lawyer with direct experience in handling these issues. Ms. Morris has represented many families and trustees who need skilled legal counsel to manage these challenging situations. Our lawyer will provide you with your full range of options, including the possibility of Marchman Act proceedings for individuals with substance abuse problems, and Baker Act proceedings for people with mental health issues. Once we have decided on a course of action, we will act effectively and decisively to achieve the best possible outcome under the circumstances.
Contact Us Today To Discuss Your Needs
The Law Office of Nicole C. Morris, P.A., is based in Palm Beach and serves client throughout Florida. Call 561-702-6012 or email us to schedule an initial consultation.