It is important for students with disabilities who plan to attend college, and their parents, to understand how their legal rights related to their disability will change in a post-secondary education environment. In public elementary and secondary schools, students with disabilities may receive services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) or the Rehabilitation…

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act is a new piece of legislation that was recently passed in Congress. The law is intended to improve federal job-training programs and reauthorizes existing programs that supply federal funding for state and city job retraining programs. It also aims to eliminate overlapping programs to increase efficiency.

New York State residents who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) also receive a state supplement.  For 2014, the maximum federal SSI amount is $721 and the NYS supplement is $87 bringing the maximum SSI benefit to $808 per month.  At this time, New York State residents receive these benefits in one payment from the Social Security Administration (SSA), usually direct deposited into the recipient’s bank account.  Starting October 1, 2014, New York SSI recipients will receive their federal SSI benefit and the state supplement benefit separately.

Families in need of a private-duty caregiver have a laundry list of items to account for during the hiring process. Most importantly is selecting the right candidate, but once that item is crossed off the list, it’s crucial to account for the expenses of hiring this new household employee. When you make a caregiver a compensation offer, it is critical that both of you are on the same page as to what the Gross Wages and Net Pay will be.

By Tom Breedlove, Director, Care.com HomePay, Provided by Breedlove

When a family hires an individual to perform duties in or around their home, they are considered a household employer. The IRS views the worker — whether a nanny, senior caregiver, health aide, etc. — as an employee of the family for whom she works. For most families, having household payroll and tax responsibilities is akin to learning a new language and most have no clue where to go for guidance.

Major League Baseball is hosting a number of events in the coming months to support autism awareness.

The New York Yankees are offering half-price tickets to members of the Autism Speaks community for their Saturday, August 9 home game against the Cleveland Indians. The offer is valid for select general, non-premium seating areas. Fans may purchase these tickets at a half-price savings from the regular advance ticket price.

Landmarks around the world, including New York’s Empire State Building, will shine blue lights on Wednesday to show their support for autism awareness. Organizations large and small will host events to raise awareness of the growing public health issue of autism spectrum disorders. World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) follows a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Statistics show, According to the report, one in 68 American children have an autism diagnosis, a 30 percent increase from a CDC study conducted last year, and more than double the number of children estimated to have autism in a 2000 study.

Sometimes, due to an inability to determine whether a child with special needs will be self-supporting and earn income as an adult, parents cannot assess the child’s future eligibly for government benefits. This is often the case with children who have Asperger’s syndrome or mild autism. In such a case, locking assets up in a Special Needs Trust may not be the best way of utilizing assets for the child’s care. There are strict guidelines for the disbursement of a Special Needs Trust’s assets, which are to be used to pay for services not covered by Medicaid, for recreational and cultural experiences and, for the most part, services or items that would enrich the beneficiary’s life.

This April, members of the Special Needs Alliance (SNA) traveled to Washington D.C. for their annual spring meeting and a “Day on the Hill.” During their visit to Capitol Hill, SNA members briefed their local members in the Congress and Senate on issues regarding public policy, advocacy and special needs trusts (SNTs). Littman Krooks attorney and SNA member Amy C. O’Hara, Esq., spoke with aides of Rep. Eliot Engel (NY) and Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (NY) to discuss and act on what appears to be a simple drafting error in the writing of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993…

Please join us for an informative webinar designed for parents and grandparents of children with special needs. Sheryl and Amy, two prominent Special Needs Planning attorneys, will discuss a variety of topics including: why planning for the future is necessary, when to plan, planning tools available, the role of public benefits..