Our Special Needs Planning Process
Last updated on September 21, 2026
Protecting Benefits. Preserving Independence. Securing Lifelong Care.
Special needs planning is about more than documents. It is about protecting eligibility for public benefits, enhancing quality of life, preserving financial resources, and creating a roadmap for future care and support.
Whether you are planning for yourself, your child, grandchild, sibling, or another loved one with disabilities in Phoenixville or the surrounding area, our process at Hobbs Legacy Law Group, LLC, is designed to provide guidance, clarity, and peace of mind every step of the way.
Step 1: Discovery And Benefits Planning Meeting
Every special needs plan begins with a conversation.
During our initial meeting, our lawyers take time to understand the beneficiary’s circumstances, current benefits, available resources, care needs, family support system, and long-term goals. We discuss important considerations, including:
- SSI eligibility
- Medicaid eligibility
- Medicaid Waiver services
- Housing assistance
- Employment and income considerations
- Family support goals
- Existing trusts and estate planning documents
- Future inheritances
- Settlement proceeds or other assets received by the beneficiary
We identify potential risks to public benefits and opportunities to strengthen future planning.
Outcome: We recommend the special needs planning package that best fits your family’s goals and provide a clear fixed-fee quote.
Step 2: Design & Planning
Once we understand your goals, our attorneys design a customized planning strategy tailored to the beneficiary’s unique needs.
Depending upon the circumstances, we evaluate:
- Public benefit eligibility rules
- Available family resources
- Existing estate plans
- Beneficiary designations
- Asset ownership
- Trustee selection
- Caregiver support considerations
- Housing arrangements
- Room and Board Agreements
- ABLE Account opportunities
- Long-term care and support planning
- Tax considerations
Our goal is to ensure that all aspects of the plan work together to protect benefits while maximizing support and quality of life.
Outcome: We develop a comprehensive planning strategy and begin preparing the necessary documents.
Step 3: Drafting And Review
Our team prepares your customized planning documents and trust provisions. Before signing, you will have the opportunity to review your documents, ask questions, and ensure you understand how the plan will operate both now and in the future.
We explain:
- How the trust operates
- Who will serve as trustee
- What distributions can and cannot be made
- How benefits eligibility is preserved
- Trustee responsibilities
- Funding strategies
- Future administration considerations
We believe special needs planning should be understandable and practical, not overwhelming.
Outcome: You gain a complete understanding of your special needs planning strategy before signing.
Step 4: Signing And Implementation
We conduct a formal signing meeting to properly execute all documents in accordance with Pennsylvania law.
Depending on the package selected, we may also assist with:
- Trust funding guidance
- Beneficiary designation coordination
- Establishment of ABLE Accounts
- Tax identification number applications
- Coordination with the Social Security Administration
- Coordination with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services
- Preparation of Room and Board Agreements
- Coordination with financial advisors, accountants, and care professionals
- Real estate transfers and trust funding, when applicable
A special needs plan is only effective when it is properly implemented.
Outcome: Your plan is legally established and positioned to achieve its intended goals.
Step 5: Fund, Coordinate And Protect
Once the planning documents have been signed, we focus on implementing the strategy.
This may include:
- Funding the trust
- Coordinating beneficiary designations
- Aligning assets with the trust structure
- Providing trustee guidance
- Coordinating with financial institutions
- Providing information for tax professionals
- Providing educational resources for caregivers and family members
For first-party special needs trusts, we also assist with required notifications and compliance obligations where appropriate.
Outcome: The plan is properly implemented and ready to support the beneficiary both now and in the future.
Step 6: Keep The Plan Current
A special needs plan should evolve as circumstances change. We encourage clients to review their plans regularly, particularly following:
- Changes in benefits eligibility
- Changes in health or disability status
- Receipt of an inheritance
- Personal injury settlements
- Changes in caregivers
- Changes in trustees
- Changes in housing arrangements
- Family changes
- Significant changes in assets
- Changes in federal or state benefit rules
Clients enrolled in our Annual Maintenance Plan receive ongoing access to legal guidance, educational resources, plan reviews, and document updates to help ensure their planning remains effective and current.
Outcome: Confidence that the plan continues to protect the beneficiary and support your family’s goals as life changes.
Our Promise
We believe special needs planning should be compassionate, practical, and tailored to the unique circumstances of every family. Our process is designed to provide clear communication, transparent pricing, and experienced guidance so that you leave with more than a trust or estate plan — you leave with confidence that your loved one’s future is protected.