The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a broad-sweeping federal law meant to eliminate discrimination against those with disabilities. The ADA doesn’t specifically address polling places, but Title II requires equal voting rights for those with disabilities. As such, state and local governments must ensure that those with disabilities have physical access to polling places. In addition, reasonable modifications of voting procedures are required to meet an individual’s needs.

However, new trends in voting laws over the last couple of years are being hailed as discriminatory towards those with disabilities or mobility issues. Those with disabilities or mobility issues oftentimes use non-traditional methods to cast their votes: mail-in ballots, ballot drop-boxes, curbside voting, or inciting the help of another at the voting booth. Altering these methods is often the focus of these new laws.

Retirement funds are likely one of the main components of your client’s estate plan. A standalone retirement trust (SRT) is a useful tool that can protect these funds by allowing your client to direct the manner in which they are distributed after the client dies. You can serve your clients well by explaining how an SRT works and how much value it can add to their estate plans.

A Self-Settled Special Needs Trust (SNT) and a Third-Party Supplemental Needs Trust (SNT) are used when a beneficiary would like access to extra funds without jeopardizing their eligibility for public benefits. Let’s review some key differences between these trusts.

The Self-Settled SNT—available in Elder Docx™—is irrevocable and is used when the assets funding the trust belong to the beneficiary. This would be if an individual has money in the bank, or comes into money, such as via a settlement or inheritance. If the funds are obtained through a settlement, an MSA subtrust may be needed. (More on that in a bit.)