Children Archives - Page 2 of 4

"Hands cupped protectively around a paper cut-out family on a wooden desk with coffee, glasses, and keys."

Understanding Special Needs Trusts

Posted on January 26, 2023

If you are the parent or grandparent of a minor or adult with special needs, you’ve likely heard people saying you need a special needs trust to protect them. What is a special needs trust? To understand a special needs trust, you first need to understand a trust in general. When people leave money to or...

"A loving mother or caregiver touching foreheads with a smiling boy who has Down syndrome in a colorful classroom."

Accessing Services in New York City for Young Children with Special Needs

Posted on November 9, 2022

What services are available to New York City’s younger special needs children? New York City special needs planning attorneys can help parents of disabled children with legal issues including guardianship, trusts and more. But there are many additional resources available—if only overwhelmed parents knew where to turn for help. Accessing supports and/or services...

"A happy, smiling mother and father embrace their adult son with Down syndrome outdoors."

Is 17A Guardianship Right for Your Special Needs Child?

Posted on September 29, 2022

What happens to parents’ rights when their special needs child turns 18? Reaching the age of majority—eighteen-- is a milestone in New York. That means that all children – – including all those with intellectual or developmental disabilities – – are considered adults with the legal authority to make their own medical, financial and other...

Father holding newborn baby in hospital room while mother smiles.

Do You Need a New Will if You Just Had a Child? Do you need more than a Will?

Posted on March 31, 2021

Life comes at us fast, and we need to be prepared. There's no telling when tragedy will strike, so having an up-to-date will in place is imperative in ensuring your assets are distributed according to your wishes. Wills need to change as our lives do. Having a child is a significant life event and will significantly...

What is an Individualized Education Plan?

Posted on March 24, 2021

What is an Individualized Education Plan? An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is a document specially developed for children with disabilities or special needs. IEPs are designed to create a learning environment where a child with special needs can flourish without being removed from the company of non-disabled peers. IEPs strive to keep children in the least restrictive environment...

How to Choose a Right Guardian For My Child?

Posted on February 16, 2021

No one wants to think about what will happen to their child after they are gone. However, it is in the child's best interest for the parent to designate a Guardian in the unlikely event that you will no longer be able to care for them. Guardians are assigned to children under the age...

Why Every Parent Needs a Trust For Their Child

Posted on February 8, 2021

A trust fund is an estate planning tool not only meant for the wealthy. A person, or grantor, sets up an account containing assets for a beneficiary. The grantor decides how the assets get distributed eventually. The Trustee manages the assets. Depending on the type of trust fund, the beneficiary will be able...

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Why does anyone need a Pooled Income Trust?

Posted on December 28, 2020

Pooled Income Trusts can be used for many different situations, including individuals with mental health illnesses, special needs, and seniors who need Medicaid services. Read this article from NAMI with a thorough and straightforward explanation of a Pooled Income Trust. Set up an appointment with Sverdlov Law PLLC to discuss whether a Pooled Income Trust is right...

classical architectural columns standing on a series of stone steps.

Disinheriting a Child

Posted on October 16, 2019

Under the laws of New York, if you die intestate (without a Will) some or all of your property would go to your children who survive you, in equal shares. However, you can choose to disinherit – leave nothing – to a child. The disinherited child, of course, may have very hurt feelings, both against...

Planning for Step-Children

Posted on September 25, 2019

If you have married someone who had children from a previous relationship, these are your step-children. Even if you have helped raised the child from a very young age, unless you have legally adopted the child, he will not be considered your child for inheritance purposes. This can have significant implications for your family....