Description

Welcome to Accessible Housing Matters!

In today’s episode, I welcome attorney Stephen Dale.  Stephen and I discuss Special Needs Trusts and how they can be beneficial for people with disabilities.  Stephen's law firm has helped countless families achieve control over their lives and live more independently through legal options like special needs trusts.   As a long-time advocate in the disabled community, Stephen will walk us through how we can navigate these tools and find better solutions for our housing challenges.

Listen to find out more about:

[00:01 - 07:01] Opening Segment

• I welcome Stephen Dale to the show
• The Dale Law Firm
• • Focusing on the quality of life
• What is a special needs trust?
• • Third-party trust
  • Self-settled trust

[07:02 - 21:16] The Special Needs Trust

• Benefits of having special needs trust
• • Trustees having the power to use the money
• The difference between revocable living trust and special needs trust
• • The government couldn’t take the money upon death
• How the special needs trust helped in housing accessibility
• • Stephen shares some examples 

[21:17 - 27:41]  The ABLE Act 

• Allows a person of disability to save their own funds without losing government benefits
• • Belongs to the beneficiary, not the trustee 
• How these vehicles are not just for savings 
• • Mode of distribution
• Stephen talks about the big issues for people on SSI around housing
• Stephen shares how many families they help with special needs trust

[27:42 - 29:59] Closing Segment

• See links below to know more about Stephen Dale
• Final words

Tweetable Quote/s:

“The word ‘simple’ and ‘disability’ are two words that don’t go together. The ABLE Act and the Special Needs Trust are neither good nor evil...they are just tools.” - Stephen Dale

You can connect with Stephen Dale through YouTube, or you can visit www.DaleLawFirm.com and www.SpecialNeedsAlliance.org. Check out his videos about Special Needs Trust, Prop 19, and much more on www.AchievingIndependence.com. 

To learn more, share feedback, or share guest ideas, please visit our website, or contact us on Facebook and Twitter. 

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Accessible Housing Matters is dedicated to raising awareness about important issues around accessibility and housing, and getting conversations going. I'd love to learn more about what's on your mind, and get your feedback about the show. Contact me directly at stephen@accessiblehousingmatters.com to share your thoughts or arrange a call.