“My sister suffers from schizophrenia and I have been able to rest easy knowing Howard and the staff will wisely manage the money my parents left for her.”

Family (other than the disabled person’s spouse), friends and others may choose to fund a third-party special needs trust for the disabled person, either by transferring their own cash or other assets or providing for the transfer via a will, trust or life insurance policy. Third-party trusts are often funded upon the death of the person who established the SNT.

Third party special needs trusts do not jeopardize means-tested government benefits, such as Medicaid, and are not subject to Medicaid payback requirements.

Third-party trusts can be stand-alone trusts or set up as a sub-account of the Illinois Disability Pooled Trust.