What’s the Difference Between a Pooled Trust and a Standalone Special Needs Trust?
A Special Needs Trust is a trust that can be created pursuant to federal law whose corpus or any assets held in the trust do not count as resources for purposes of qualifying for Medicaid or SSI. These trusts are an indispensable planning tool for making sure your clients remain eligible for means-based benefits like Medicaid after receiving a settlement. But there are several types of special needs trusts, including a standalone (d)(4)(A) Special Needs Trust, and a (d)(4)(C) trust, commonly known as a pooled trust. What’s the difference, and what’s right for your client?