Planning for Children with Special Needs – Now and in the Future (In-Person)

Please note: this program will be in-person at the Noah Webster Library unless otherwise noted. 

There are ways to ensure your child with special needs will stay financially secure – now and later, when you’re no longer able to provide support. Join West Hartford resident and attorney, Colleen Masse, who will talk about strategies to qualify for public benefits, protect income, and put a financial plan in place to secure your child’s future. You’ll also hear answers to questions like… what is a special needs trust and how does it work? What is an ABLE account and how does it differ from a special needs trust? How can your child qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance, Supplemental Security Income, and health insurance through Medicaid and Medicare? What are funding options for the trust and who can you select as trustee? And when your child turns 18, learn what steps need to be taken. Are guardianship, conservatorship, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives necessary?

Attorney Colleen Masse is the chair of Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri’s Special Needs Planning Department. She knows public benefits inside and out and guides her clients through the eligibility process in a way that won’t jeopardize eligibility for government benefits. Colleen shows her clients how to use a special needs trust to maintain and improve their quality of life, and to protect their money so they can afford the care they need for the long run.

Previous to practicing law at Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri, Colleen worked with the Connecticut State Department of Education where she represented students in the care of the Connecticut Department of Children and Families. In this role, she advocated for children with special education needs - filing complaints, performing record reviews, and communicating with various agencies and providers.