At M&L Special Needs Planning, we are considered experts in the area of government benefit planning. We help with understanding what the government benefits are and how they relate to a specific individual with disabilities. We work with families in the application process for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and/or Social Security Disability Income (SSDI). Among other issues we answer the following questions:

1. What is the resource and income limits necessary for an individual with disabilities to be eligible for SSI?
2. What is the definition of disability as far as Social Security is concerned? Is there a gray area?
3. How do you apply for SSI and/or SSDI and what documents should be submitted to Social Security?
4. What is SSI and for that matter SSDI?
5. Which health insurance programs Medicaid and Medicare goes with which government benefit?
6. How to go to work and keep your disability check(s) and insurance?
7. How do you keep Medicaid when you lose SSI and/or Medicare with SSDI?
8. What happens if the grandparents have set up a trust in the individual with disabilities name and it is more than $2000?
9. What is a special needs trust and how does that relate to government benefit planning?
10. What is a work incentive and when do they apply?
11. What is a Medicaid Buy-In Program?
12. What state and other federal benefits pertain to my individual with disabilities and how do we apply?

As the direction of Social Security programs become more uncertain it is important to connect with a firm that has their finger on the pulse and can reach out to families with all latest changes and news.

Maedi Tanham Carney, CFP recently became a Certified Work Incentive Coordinator (CWIC). A Certified Work Incentive Coordinator (CWIC) provides work incentives planning and assistance directly to beneficiaries with disabilities to assist them in their employment efforts. CWICs will also conduct outreach efforts to beneficiaries with disabilities (and their families) who are potentially eligible to participate in Federal or State work incentives programs. CWICs also provide general information on the adequacy of health benefits coverage that may be offered by an employer of a beneficiary with a disability; the extent to which other health benefits coverage may be available to that beneficiary in coordination with Medicare and/or Medicaid; and the availability of protection and advocacy services for beneficiaries with disabilities and how to access such services.

The Social Security Disability benefit programs is an area of special needs planning that is intensely confusing and can be very frustrating to families. If the families understands how the government benefits work than they can be proactive when any changes occur for the individual with disability. If the family works with M&L we keep in close contact with the family to educate why things happen and what to do about it.