Helping Families Plan for the Needs of Special-Needs Family Members
Does your family have a special-needs member, either child or adult, who owns or may inherit high-value assets or needs a family member to make personal care decisions? If so, you need qualified legal help.
Margaret O'Sullivan of the Toronto, Ontario law firm of O'Sullivan Estate Lawyers has provided estate, trust and guardianship legal assistance to families with special-needs family members since her call to the bar in 1983. Also engaged in trust and estate work at O'Sullivan Estate Lawyers are Susannah Roth and Claudia Sgro. Ms. Roth has practiced trust and estate law since being called to the bar in 2002, has spoken and written on various subject areas in trust and estate law and is a member of the Ontario Bar Association Trusts and Estates Executive Committee and the Council of the Ontario Bar Association. Ms. Sgro graduated with distinction from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, receiving academic awards in tax, estate and trust law. She is a member of the Trusts and Estates Section of the Ontario Bar Association, and a student member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.
As a nationally and internationally recognized estate planning lawyer Ms. O'Sullivan and our trust and estates team can protect your assets and your loved ones:
- By establishing powers of attorney and guardianships that allow parents and other family members to assist special-needs adults and manage their property and personal care. Powers of attorney and guardianships can help you preserve and administer assets and make medical and other decisions for special-needs family members.
- By establishing trusts, including living trusts, inter vivos trusts and discretionary trusts. Trusts allow you to provide funds for in-need family members now and in the event of your death.
- By assisting in establishing Registered Disability Savings Plans and Henson trusts and inheritance trusts that allow for the provision of funds to in-need family members without disqualifying them for government benefits.
By creating a legal "protective envelope", special-needs individuals' assets can be shielded and their financial security and personal care can be provided for. We can help you manage children's inheritance funds and ensure that minors and adults with serious injuries and disabilities or with Asperger's syndrome, autism, ADD and other illnesses and challenges receive the financial protection and support they need. For more information about our firm and special-needs estate planning law, contact us at 888-365-6235.
