Special Needs Trusts – Protecting Loved Ones with Disabilities
Bezaire & Leathers helps Orange County families create special needs trusts that preserve SSI and Medi-Cal eligibility while funding care, education, and quality-of-life needs.
What a special needs trust does
An SNT holds assets for a person with disabilities so funds can pay for supplemental needs—housing support, therapies, equipment—without counting as the beneficiary’s own resources. We draft California-compliant terms and guide trustee selection.
Who benefits from an SNT
Parents, grandparents, or injury settlement recipients often use SNTs to preserve long-term care and independence. We tailor provisions for daily living, transportation, and education specific to life in Irvine and across Orange County.
First-party vs third-party trusts
First-party SNTs use the beneficiary’s assets and may require Medi-Cal payback; third-party SNTs are funded by family and typically avoid payback. We’ll help you decide which approach aligns with your estate goals and funding sources.
Integrating with your estate plan
Your will or living trust can direct assets to the SNT at death, and accounts can use beneficiary designations. Coordinating documents within estate planning keeps everything aligned and reduces future confusion.
Common SNT questions
Who should serve as trustee?
Choose someone organized and impartial; consider a professional or corporate fiduciary when family dynamics are complex.
Can the beneficiary receive cash?
Direct cash usually affects benefits. Instead, the trustee pays vendors for approved expenses.
How does this relate to conservatorship?
Some families combine an SNT with conservatorship to address both financial management and personal decision-making.
Plan today with confidence
Compassionate special needs planning in Irvine
Bezaire & Leathers collaborates with your advisors and care team to build a realistic, durable plan. For probate-related questions or estate settlements, learn how trust administration supports distributions to an SNT.
