Coos Bay
Let me guide you through the process with compassion and expertise for your peace of mind.
My Services
Special Needs Trusts: Lifelong Protection for Those You Love Most
Ensure your loved one with disabilities is cared for — without risking essential benefits or independence.
Start My Plan
You are Not Alone
Caring for a Loved One with Disabilities Can Feel Overwhelming
Understanding Special Needs Trusts
Planning for the future of a child or adult with disabilities can feel overwhelming. As the parent of a child with disabilities, myself, I felt paralyzed about my own estate planning for a long time – until I got the advice of a trusted attorney. And then, I found peace of mind.
If you are a disabled individual and are coming into some assets, whether through inheritance or a legal settlement of some kind, without proper planning, you can become ineligible for the essential services you depend upon, like SSI and Medicaid.
A properly structured Special Needs Trust is the answer to many family’s and individual’s needs when it comes to disability planning. I guide families through two key types of trusts:
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Third-Party Trusts: Created and funded by family members or others (like parents or grandparents) to provide for a loved one without jeopardizing their public benefits.
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First-Party (or “Self-Settled”) Trusts: Established for individuals with disabilities using their own assets—such as an inheritance or legal settlement —to preserve crucial eligibility for government assistance.
In both scenarios, my goal is the same:
to create a secure legal framework that protects access to the essential government services the disabled community need and deserve. I’ll handle the intricate legal details, so you can focus on what matters most—your loved one’s well-being and quality of life.
My Process
Your Path to Peace of Mind:
My Supportive Process for Families with Special Needs
Compassionate Conversation
We begin with an open, caring discussion about your or your loved one’s needs, capabilities, and long-term care goals.
Customized Plan
I design a trust that protects eligibility for public benefits and translates your wishes into a clear, legally sound strategy. I explain everything in plain English so you feel confident and fully informed every step of the way.
Secure Foundation
I handle the legal details, from trust drafting to trustee guidance, so the plan is compliant with Oregon and federal law.
Ongoing Support
Your or your family’s needs may change over time. Program eligibility requirements may also change. I stay informed of these changes and am available to help you adapt as needed.
Client-Centered Approach
Guidance with Heart and Experience
You Work Directly with Your Attorney
You deserve an advocate who listens deeply and understands the delicate balance between love, protection, and legal precision. I’m directly involved in every trust I draft, ensuring your family’s plan is as compassionate as it is secure.
Flat Fees for Planning
You’ll know the cost of creating an SNT upfront — no surprises, no hourly billing. Just straightforward guidance that fits your needs.
Experience with Complex Needs
As the parent of a child with disabilities (who is now an adult), I have personal experience with many of Oregon’s public benefit systems and how they interact with Special Needs Trusts.
Lifelong Partnership
As circumstances evolve, I’ll remain available to help update and manage the trust for continued peace of mind.
Areas I Serve
Serving Families through the Willamette Valley and along the Oregon Coast
My focus is on understanding the unique stories and relationships that define our community, creating plans that honor your commitments to the people and causes you hold dear.
Roseburg
Let me guide you through the process with compassion and expertise for your peace of mind.
Eugene and Springfield
Providing compassionate and clear estate planning guidance to our friends and neighbors throughout the Eugene and Lane County area.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
A special needs trust is designed to supplement—not replace—government benefits such as SSI or Medicaid. It allows funds to be used for your loved one’s comfort, care, and enrichment without jeopardizing eligibility for vital assistance.
You can name a trusted individual, a professional fiduciary, or a corporate trustee. I’ll help you choose someone capable of managing assets responsibly and compassionately.
Maybe. Sometimes Special Needs Trusts are irrevocable and changing them is challenging. Other times, they are revocable. I will review your situation with you to determine what type of trust you currently have, or what kind of trust you might wish to create, and explain your options for moving forward.
Get Started
Secure Lifelong Care with
a Special Needs Trust
Whether you are planning ahead as a family or safeguarding an inheritance or settlement, a properly drafted Special Needs Trust is essential for certain family members. I provide clear guidance on both first-party and third-party trusts. Let’s build a plan that offers lasting peace of mind.