Pooled Special Needs Trust

MAINTAIN NEEDS-BASED GOVERNMENT BENEFITS

When it comes to an estate or settlement plan for children and adults with special needs, one of the most important decisions you’ll have to make is where you want to house cash and assets. Persons with disabilities who need to maintain their eligibility for needs-based government programs such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid, must stay below certain income thresholds to stay qualified. A Pooled Special Needs Trusts lets children and adults with disabilities, receive a lump sum of money, real estate, stocks, or other investments – all while keeping their benefits intact.

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SAFEGUARD BENEFITS

A Pooled Special Needs Trust with Secured Futures means the Trust pays for SSI and Medicaid approved expenses, ensuring beneficiaries maintain their government benefits. This approach to trust administration, safeguards eligibility while improving overall quality of life.

BENEFICIARY SERVICES

Whatever you need, we are here for you. We are waiting for your call with open arms and open ears — because at Secured Futures, you are part of our family. Beneficiaries and their family members can count on us to be there to advise, coach, and support them when needed.

UTILIZING FUNDS

We make it easy to access funds. From small to medium payouts, for bills and shopping, to large payouts, for cars and houses, beneficiaries have the option to either use their True Link VISA card for purchases on the go or submit requests as they come up.

Woman in wheel chair on her cell phone

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Protects government benefits.
  • Someone answers when you call, or we’ll call you back.
  • We do not retain funds upon a beneficiary’s passing.
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Woman in wheel chair on her cell phone

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Protects government benefits.
  • Someone answers when you call, or we’ll call you back.
  • We do not retain funds upon a beneficiary’s passing.
GET STARTED
LEARN MORE

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PRESERVATION TRUST

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Please keep in mind, a Pooled Special Needs Trust does not relieve parental duty of support for minor beneficiaries.

Frequently requested and approved disbursements:
This list should be used a reference and does not guarantee approval. All purchases must be for the sole benefit of the Trust beneficiary.

  • Prepaid burial expenses of beneficiary
  • Camp tuition
  • Clothing for the Beneficiary
  • Furniture for Child’s Bedroom
  • Computer hardware and software
  • Education, tuition, and/or books
  • Entertainment and recreation tickets
  • Equipment (electronic, entertainment, adaptive)
  • Guardianship and advocacy services
  • Home renovations to improve accessibility
  • Medical or Education Evaluations
  • Legal fees (as it relates directly to beneficiary)
  • Magazine subscriptions
  • Medical equipment and supplies, not covered by another source
  • Medical, nursing, vision and dental care, not covered by another source
  • Medications
  • Massage therapy
  • Therapy animal care and supplies
  • Private lessons and materials
  • Supplemental dietary needs (doctor note or prescription may be required)
  • Testing (vocational, medical, psychological, etc.)
  • Travel expenses for beneficiary

Frequently requested disbursements which have not been approved:
This list should be used a reference and does not guarantee a deny.

  • Cash given directly to the beneficiary for any purpose
  • Food or groceries
  • Rent or mortgage payments
  • Property taxes*
  • Heating fuel (gas, oil)
  • Electricity
  • Water
  • Sewer
  • Garbage collection service
  • Repairs to a family home not owned by the trust
  • Furniture for common areas of a family home
  • Travel costs for other family members
  • Mileage and/or gas to and from standard pediatric appointments and school

*In certain emergency situations, payment of property taxes or other annual shelter costs may be requested. Secured Futures reviews each request considering individual situations and impact on preservation of benefits.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and other government benefits are received by the beneficiary to cover basic needs such as food and shelter. If the disbursements are made from a special needs trust for basic needs, a beneficiary may lose all or part of his/her government benefits.

Frequently requested and approved disbursements:
This list should be used a reference and does not guarantee approval. All purchases must be for the sole benefit of the Trust beneficiary.

  • Prepaid burial expenses of beneficiary
  • Advocacy services
  • Cable television
  • Clothing for the Beneficiary
  • Computer hardware and software
  • Education, tuition and/or books
  • Entertainment and recreation tickets
  • Equipment (electronic, entertainment, adaptive)
  • Expenses related to owning and operating one car
  • Furniture and household items
  • Gardening and lawn care
  • Guardianship and advocacy services
  • Home appliances
  • Home renovations to improve accessibility
  • Independent evaluations
  • Insurance premiums (health, dental, car, renter, and in some cases, life)
  • Internet access
  • Job coaching
  • Legal fees
  • Magazine subscriptions
  • Medical equipment
  • Medical, nursing, vision and dental care not covered by another source
  • Medications
  • Massage therapy
  • Office supplies and postage
  • Companion/Respite care not covered by another source
  • Pet care and supplies
  • Private counseling and case management
  • Private lessons and materials
  • Supplemental dietary needs (doctor note or prescription may be required)
  • Telephone service
  • Testing (vocational, medical, psychological, etc.)
  • Travel expenses for beneficiary

Frequently requested disbursements which are not typically permitted:
This list should be used a reference and does not guarantee a refusal.

  • Cash given directly to the beneficiary for any purpose
  • Food or groceries
  • Rent or mortgage payments
  • Property taxes*
  • Heating fuel (gas, oil)
  • Electricity
  • Water
  • Sewer
  • Garbage collection service

*Note: In certain emergency situations, payment of property taxes or other annual shelter costs may be requested. Secured Futures reviews each request considering individual situations and impact on preservation of benefits.

Parental Duty of Support as defined by the laws in each state, typically outline a parent’s obligation to meet their children’s basic needs for food, clothing, housing, medical care, and education.

We accept accounts of all size, so we have no minimum. However, we recommend establishing the Trust with at least $40K to start. If you have less than that, we can still manage and establish your account.

Yes. Our Pooled Special Needs Trust can accommodate accounts of all size, both big and small.

No. Remaining funds are used to pay back Medicaid, for services for which they paid for on the beneficiary’s behalf. Once Medicaid has been paid back, we pay the remainder of the funds to the remainder beneficiary designated when the Pooled Special Needs Trust was initially established.

As a nonprofit organization administering a Pooled Special Needs Trust, we have the OPTION to retain the remainder of the funds after a beneficiary passes away. However, we allow a remainder beneficiary be chosen by the family or the individual upon establishing the Trust.

We make it a matter of standard practice to always establish and name a remainder beneficiary of the family’s choice in the Trust Agreement.

The family, or guardian, informs us of the passing and sends in a copy of the death certificate. If it is a first-party Pooled Special Needs Trust, we inform Medicaid of the death, and requests a statement of claim. Once fulfilled, the remainder beneficiary instructions on the Trust agreement are followed.

The family, or guardian, informs us of the passing and sends in a copy of the death certificate. If it’s a third-party Pooled Special Needs Trust, there is typically no Medicaid involvement or need to inform them. So, the remainder beneficiary instructions on the Trust agreement are followed.

Self-funded Pooled Special Needs Trusts requires Medicaid be payback. However, a third-party funded Pooled Special Needs Trust does not.

Trust funds are conservatively invested to preserve capital for as long as possible. Interest and gains are part of the beneficiary’s trust assets.

Beneficiaries have the option to either use their True Link VISA card for purchases or request disbursements from their Trust Administrator.

The beneficiary of any pooled trust can request to transfer to another pooled Trust. The Trusts are irrevocable and cannot be terminated except by court order.

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