One of a trustees most important jobs is to use trust assets and income to support each beneficiary’s independence, comfort and dignity, without unintentionally impacting other benefits. As trustee, we are accountable for the use of assets, and therefore we are required to make all distribution decisions. We rely, however, on guidance from our beneficiaries, their families, their caregivers and other responsible persons, as well as evaluations and recommendations from our Clinical Relationship Managers, to inform our decisions.
Below is a representative list of uses that we have covered over the years. This is not a “menu,” and it does not represent a list of entitlements. Each distribution decision is handled individually, based upon our best judgement of the present and future needs of the beneficiary, and the ability of the trust, working with other benefits, to meet his or her needs over a lifetime.
Representative List of Possible Uses of a Special Needs Trust Account
Social Support
- Private case management
- Companion services
- Outings
- Travel
Medical Services Not Covered by Medicare or Medicaid
- Hearing aids
- Dentures and other Dental Care
- Podiatry Services
- Glasses and other Eye Care
- Co-pays for Medical Visits and Prescriptions
- Physical therapy
- Massage therapy
- Counseling/Psychiatry
- Customized wheelchairs
Professional Services
- Legal Fees
- CPA/accountants
- Fiduciary services
- Music therapy
Communications Media
- Cable TV
- Bedside Telephone
- Cell Phone
- Electronic Tablets
- Computers
- Home Security Systems
Transportation
- Payment for The Ride
- Charlie Cards
- Ambulance
- Automobile Costs (Accounts over $100,000 only)
- Hired transport (Cabs, Uber, Lyft)
- Chair van for special occasions
Household
- Flower delivery
- Gardening tools
Other Personal needs items
- Sewing machine
- Craft Supplies
- Art Supplies
- Magazines
- Newspapers
- Hair care
- Manicure
- Pedicure
- Clothing
- Shoes
- Dog therapy
- Cat therapy
- Meals out at restaurants
- Milestone birthday celebrations
- Trips/Outings
End of Life Planning
- Pre-need Funeral Contract
- Burial plots
- Headstone/monument
- Burial Expense Account
- Life insurance (if policy assigned to funeral home)
