Special Needs Planning Trusted Legal Guidance for Every Chapter of Life

Special Needs Planning in Las Vegas

Coordinated Planning for a Loved One with a Disability

Special needs planning coordinates family support with estate documents, beneficiary designations, and needs-based government benefits. At Mills & Anderson, we help families build personalized plans around a beneficiary’s present circumstances and long-term financial security.

A direct inheritance, gift, lawsuit recovery, or other asset placed in a beneficiary’s name can affect eligibility for programs such as Medicaid and Social Security. Planning before a transfer occurs usually provides more options than addressing the consequences after the beneficiary receives the funds.

Discuss special needs planning in Las Vegas with our team. Call (725) 999-6468 to arrange an in-person or virtual consultation.

A Plan Tailored to the Beneficiary & Family

We describe a special needs trust as an irrevocable trust designed to provide financial security for a vulnerable beneficiary while protecting eligibility for government benefits. Depending on its terms and the applicable program rules, the trust can support supplemental needs without placing assets directly in the beneficiary’s name. No single structure fits every family or guarantees continued eligibility under every circumstance.

Our planning considers the beneficiary’s current benefits, anticipated assets, support needs, and the people who may manage future decisions. It can also address caregiving arrangements, estate documents, beneficiary designations, and financial management.

Direct Access Throughout the Matter

Each client works directly with an attorney and a dedicated paralegal who tracks details and remains available to answer questions. We provide compassionate guidance, practical solutions, and personalized support, including Spanish-language services.

Our experience in estate planning, family law, and business law helps us identify interconnected concerns that may shape a family’s plan. We create a long-term strategy rather than treating the trust as an isolated document.

Nevada Trust Options for Beneficiaries with Disabilities

The source of the assets and the beneficiary’s circumstances help determine which structure may be appropriate.

Common trust structures include:

First-party special needs trust: This irrevocable trust holds assets belonging to a person with a disability who’s under age 65. It must be established for that person’s sole benefit by the individual, a parent, grandparent, legal guardian, or court. A qualifying trust must direct remaining funds at death toward state Medicaid reimbursement, up to the medical assistance paid on the beneficiary’s behalf.
Third-party special needs trust: Parents, grandparents, or other family members fund this trust with assets that never belonged to the beneficiary. It can be incorporated into broader inheritance and beneficiary-designation planning.
Pooled trust: This arrangement administers funds collectively while maintaining a separate account for each beneficiary.

Nevada law also permits certain qualifying irrevocable trusts to be decanted, meaning transferred into a new trust with revised terms. When statutory requirements are met, the receiving instrument may be a supplemental needs, pooled, or third-party trust.

Coordinating Trusts with ABLE Accounts

A trust and an ABLE savings account are separate tools that can serve complementary purposes. They have different rules for funding, administration, ownership, and spending, so families should coordinate them with the beneficiary’s larger plan.

For 2026, total annual contributions to an ABLE account are generally limited to $20,000. ABLE Nevada has a $500,000 state account balance limit. Supplemental Security Income excludes the first $100,000 in the account from countable resources, separate from its general $2,000 individual resource limit.

Trust distributions and ABLE account spending require attention to the rules of each applicable benefit program. The type of support provided and how a payment is made can affect eligibility or benefit amounts.

Why Choose Mills & Anderson?

Personalized Service. Proven Results.

Comprehensive Legal Solutions
From family law and estate planning to business law, we provide trusted legal guidance for every stage of life.
Experienced, Collaborative Team
Every case benefits from the combined knowledge of our attorneys, giving you thoughtful strategies and well-rounded legal support.
Personalized Attention

You'll work directly with your attorney and a dedicated paralegal, ensuring responsive communication and a legal strategy tailored to your needs.
Honest, Practical Guidance

We provide straightforward advice, explain your options clearly, and focus on solutions that protect your future—not just resolve today's issue.
Se Habla Español

Our Spanish-speaking attorney is here to provide clear, compassionate legal guidance, making quality representation accessible to more members of our community.
Accessible & Responsive
We make it easy to get the answers you need with prompt communication and nearly immediate access to our team during business hours.

What to Expect from Your Consultation

We offer in-person and virtual consultations for families considering special needs planning. We begin by discussing the beneficiary’s support needs, current benefits, existing assets, family goals, and related legal documents.

The appropriate tools depend partly on who owns the assets, how future funds may be received, and who may manage financial or personal decisions. As we develop a customized plan, clients work directly with an attorney and dedicated paralegal.

For flat-fee matters, including family trust setup, the consultation fee is included in the flat fee and charged only if the client hires us. We explain the applicable fee arrangement before representation begins.

Build a Plan Around Your Family’s Priorities

We serve families throughout Las Vegas, Clark County, and Southern Nevada with personalized estate planning support. Contacting us can clarify the legal and financial questions to address before an inheritance or other transfer occurs.

Call (725) 999-6468 or submit the contact form to schedule a consultation with Mills & Anderson.

Planning for Adulthood, Care & Decision-Making

A parent’s legal authority to make decisions for a child doesn’t automatically continue when the child becomes an adult. If an adult can’t independently make medical or financial decisions, the family may need to consider a guardianship under Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 159. These proceedings are generally filed with the appropriate court in Clark County.

A guardianship of the person concerns authority over personal or medical decisions, while a guardianship of the estate concerns financial matters. A trust serves a different function by governing the management and distribution of assets. Families may need to coordinate these tools rather than assume one document addresses every concern.

Recording Care Information
A letter of intent can record the beneficiary’s routines, preferences, care needs, providers, and important family information for future caregivers and trustees. It’s generally a personal planning document, not a substitute for a trust, guardianship order, or other legal instrument.

The Difference Is Personal

Hear From the Families We’ve Helped

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