FAQs
Arcare is passionate about working with families to identify strategies that help ensure their loved ones have the appropriate support and advocacy for achieving their highest level of well-being and independence. Below are answers to frequently asked questions about our core services offered as part of a comprehensive plan of care.
If you’d like to discuss specifics about your family’s unique situation, we’d love to hear from you. Simply contact us and we can schedule a time to meet.
Special Needs Trust FAQs
A pooled trust is a trust that is established and managed by a non-profit organization. The pooled trust is already approved by the State Medicaid agencies and the Social Security Administration, and attorney fees are not involved. The client simply executes an agreement that they are joining the pooled trust. The non-profit organization then pools assets from participants for management purposes, which keeps the trust more affordable than many other options. Each beneficiary has their own subaccount that tracks their trust assets, and those assets can generate investment earnings. Arcare offers a third-party pooled trust that allows parents, grandparents or other third parties to leave funds for a loved one with a disability. We also offer a self-settled pooled trust where the individual with a disability places their own money into the trust instead of going into a spend-down situation. This trust is helpful for someone who may receive a personal injury settlement, back payment from Social Security, etc.
A special needs trust can be funded a variety of ways. The trust can be funded outright, or deferred until after the death of a parent, grandparent, etc. It can also be funded with a life insurance policy. While there are many options, it is important to work with professionals experienced in SNTs so you do not inadvertently jeopardize your loved one’s eligibility for means-tested benefits. Arcare frequently works with families, their estate planning attorneys and their financial advisors to make sure preserving benefits eligibility is a top priority.
If you are a parent, grandparent or other third party who intends to leave a portion of their estate to a loved one with a disability without utilizing an SNT, your loved one could lose all of their means-tested benefits (Medicaid, SSI, Section 8 Housing, food assistance, etc.). Your loved one would have to spend down the inheritance they received until they are back below the asset level (usually $2,000) to reapply for assistance. This can be avoided with proper planning.
It depends. Using an SNT to pay for housing expenses for someone who receives SSI could impact their SSI income, so we typically discourage this approach. Our Trust Department will work with you and your loved one to fully understand their benefits, needs, and options for housing payments and identify a solution that works best.
Absolutely! If you have an ABLE account established, a SNT can contribute toward the annual maximum allowable contribution of $16,000. It is important to note that payments for housing-related expenses and food are allowed from an ABLE account. We will work with you to find balance between your ABLE account and SNT, and leverage these financial tools to help you maximize the return on your savings.
To request a distribution from an Arcare Trust, please complete the Distribution Request Form located in our forms library, and return it to us by mail, fax or email. It’s that simple!
Life Care Plan FAQs
A Life Care Plan incorporates and integrates the legal, financial, home and community supports required to help your loved one achieve their highest level of well-being. The plan is updated regularly as your loved one’s needs and circumstances change. This can provide you with peace of mind knowing that the plan for your loved one will be carried out even if you pass away or can no longer provide oversight.
The Life Care Plan ensures oversight, continuity of care and the support you want for your loved one. Life Care Plan Coordinators can help monitor and educate your loved one on their rights and report any suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation. We will learn about your loved one’s preferences and help them communicate those preferences to others. The Life Care Plan team helps problem solve, advocates for your loved one’s needs and desires, and keeps detailed records to maintain continuity over time. We can also assist your loved one with obtaining services, completing assessments and coordinating transportation.
No, it is not a legal document to designate successor guardians or trustees. These designations should be made in your estate plans and your special needs trust documents.
In setting up a Life Care Plan, an Arcare professional would develop a working relationship you and your child. We would become familiar with your child’s wants, needs and preferences, and they would already know us as someone they can trust and count on for assistance and support when needed. With a Life Care Plan, Arcare can take on a consulting type of role in the individual's life.
An ISP is developed for the delivery of services by Direct Support Professionals. The Life Care Plan is focused on care coordination, family involvement and oversight. It takes into consideration family needs and desires and includes legal and financial areas of planning.
Guardianship FAQs
Professional assistance through federal, state and nonprofit agencies can help prevent the need for guardianship. A person with a disability may give another person power of attorney in the event that they become unable to make their own decisions. Representative Payees can help with financial management. We will work with you to understand your loved one’s needs and work toward the least restrictive option possible.
The school may offer another option, such as your child signing an authorization for release of information allowing the school to share information with you. Another option may be powers of attorney.
In Kansas, a parent can file the petition for guardianship one month prior to their child’s 18th birthday. If an emergency (like a healthcare emergency) occurs while the guardianship is pending, a parent can also file for emergency guardianship.
No. Your attorney would make the request for co-guardianship in the initial petition to the court. Be sure to discuss with your attorney your desire for co-guardianship and potentially a standby or successor guardian.
At the time a guardian passes away or otherwise becomes incapacitated and cannot fulfil their guardianship duties, a successor guardian assumes those duties permanently. A standby guardian can “step in” intermittently if the guardian is unavailable. A good example of this would be if the guardian travels for work or a vacation, the standby guardian can help make decisions in the guardian’s absence.
Representative Payee FAQs
A Representative Payee is a person or an organization that is appointed by the Social Security Administration to help manage your social security benefits. We work with beneficiaries to set a budget, prioritizing food and shelter. We also take into account entertainment needs and wants, medical expenses and helping beneficiaries save money toward a future purchase.
Arcare does charge a monthly fee for its services as an organizational Representative Payee. The fee is determined by the Social Security Administration and deducted monthly.
Contact our Representative Payee Department and we would be happy to walk you through the process.
The process for completing the necessary paperwork and meeting with the Social Security Administration could take 6 to 8 weeks to complete. Call us today to get started.