Protecting a Loved One with Special Needs for Life: The Tools That Work Together
October is National Special Needs Law Month, and it’s a good time to look at special needs planning as a whole. Most families come to us asking about one document:…
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ABLE Accounts and Special Needs Trusts in California: How to Use Both (2026 Update)
At Cookman Law, we love ABLE accounts. They give a person with a disability room to save and spend without putting SSI or Medi-Cal at risk, and they make life…
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When Life Changes, So Should Your Special Needs Plan: A Guide to Reviewing and Updating Your SNT
Your special needs trust was built around your family’s life at a specific point in time: your child at a particular age. Your family’s situation. The benefits rules as they…
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Dynasty Trust vs. Special Needs Trust: Which Protects Your Child’s Inheritance?
When you sit down to plan what you’ll leave your children, you’re really trying to answer one question: how do I make sure this actually helps them? Two tools come…
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Dynasty Trust Explained: How to Protect Your Child’s Inheritance
How can you protect your child’s inheritance? One really powerful tool is using a dynasty trust. In this article, I’m going to explain all about dynasty trusts: What Is a…
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Setting Up Your Special Needs Trust to Work When It Matters Most: A Guide for California Families
The day you sign your special needs trust is a real milestone. After all the conversations and decisions, you finally have the document in hand. That feeling of relief is…
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Your Estate Plan Is Signed. Now What? Why Ongoing Maintenance Is the Step Families Miss
Completing an estate plan is a real accomplishment. You found an attorney, worked through the questions you had been putting off, made a series of important decisions, and signed your…
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Is a Special Needs Trust Right for Our Family? What California Parents Need to Know
If you’ve ever Googled “Special Needs Trust” and come away more confused than when you started, you’re not alone. The term gets used a lot in the disability planning community,…
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Who Should You Name as Trustee? A Guide for California Families
Choosing a trustee may be the most consequential decision in your entire estate plan – and it’s one that unfortunately, many families make without fully understanding what the role involves….
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Medi-Cal Planning in 2026: New Rules, New Opportunities
**Please note: Cookman Law does not assist with the application or approval process for Medi-Cal, though we are happy to refer you to trusted professionals who do. Our office specializes…
