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Can't Really Give a True Review of This Book Until We Set Up & Start Administering the Trust

Customer Rating:
I live in Mass, so I have very high expectations for this manual. The authors live and work in Massachusetts. It's a lot of information, and a little overwhelming at first, but I think this will be a great tool once we get into establishing the trust. That's why I can only rate this as a three right now. I don't think I'll be able to completely review this book until after we've gone through the creation of the trust. This book isn't going to replace an attorney or financial advisor, but I'm hoping it will serve as a good resource for us to learn more about specific topics as we dive in. I've only read the first two chapters, as our baby is only three months old, but it has already done a pretty good job of explaining SSI and SSDI. I'm most impressed at the explanations and descriptions of how the individual's income (the special needs individual) can affect the public benefit programs received.

Extremely Valuable Reference

Customer Rating:
I bought this book because I am considering setting-up a Special Needs Trust for my adult daughter who is disabled. It contains excellent advice on admistering a trust, including what is allowed by law, what is not, and the gray areas. It gave me a much better understanding of how the trusts work and enabled me to have a more intelligent discussion with a trust attorney during our first meeting.

Good reference for special needs trusts

Customer Rating:
Goes over administering SNTs in detail. Good explanation of the mechanisms related to SSI, SSDI, and Medicaid, and how they interact with the SNT. Oriented to Massachusetts law, where the authors are, although should be similar in other states since law is federal with state "twists". Has a list of "do nots" and "watch out for" items that is useful, although the list is spread out through the book, would be useful to have an appendix summarizing them. Has a chapter on web site references to go to for more info. Finally, the tax section I thought was a bit vague, as it didn't distinguish between distributions that are return of corpus vs. return of income, and didn't make some other things clear. Overall, however, a good reference.

very helpful and practical advice

Customer Rating:
This Manual has been an invaluable resource for our office. Our office is the Trustee for Special Needs Trusts, and having such practical advice in one book has been extremely helpful for our staff. It is readable, cogent, and well organized. It is a useful tool for attorneys and non-attorneys who are trying to better understand the many issues involved with coordinating public benefits and special needs trusts. The information that it provides on Trust Administration is very useful information for anyone who is a Trustee of a Special Needs Trust. Our office is purchasing multiple copies because it is sucha a helpful resource.

Great Basic Guide for Trustees of Special Needs Trusts

Customer Rating:
Coordination of public benefits and special needs trusts are a complicated matter. I like this affordable guide because it doesn't confuse by trying to give the reader a law degree like some books. It gives straight forward, practical answers that go a long way to explaining day to day administration, particularly for the family member or professional fiduciary that doesn't have a lot of prior experience with government programs and special needs trusts. While it uses Massachusetts examples for some of the programs that could become dated over time, it makes an effort to be generic and timeless, and 95% of the content is good anywhere at anytime. I draft special needs trusts naming Trustees with a wide range of experience, from zero to full time, and I will be sending a copy of this guide to all of them.