Talking to your family

Some things to discuss with your family include:

Inheriting money from your family If you are receiving government benefits (Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income [SSI], for example), your eligibility might be jeopardized if you receive an inheritance. Social Security Disability Insurance is not paid based on financial need, so it is not affected by an inheritance.

A special needs trust The money in a special needs trust can be used to pay for items that are not paid for by government programs, such as home repairs, education, a computer, vacations, and so on. It is important that this trust be set up by a lawyer who has experience with these trusts so that it does not jeopardize your government assistance now or in the future.

Guardianships Until you were 18 (or 21 in some states), your parents or caregivers were legally responsible for your welfare and had the right to make certain decisions for you. Then, when you turned 18 (or 21) you were considered by law to be an adult. If you are an adult who is unable to make decisions in your own best interest, a court may decide to give a parent or other responsible adult the legal right to make financial or other decisions for you. This person is called a guardian. If this is the case for you, be sure to help to choose who will be your guardian, as well as what decisions the guardian can make on your behalf and what decisions you want to make for yourself.

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