As a family law attorney, you are focused on effectively representing your clients who are in the separation or divorce process, expertly handling issues such as division of property, child custody, support, and alimony. However, in certain cases, especially those involving disability of parents or children, what is apparently a good financial outcome may not be in your client’s or their family’s best interests. That’s where we come in. Being knowledgeable in government regulations governing Social Security Disability Income (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicare and Medicaid coverage, we can serve as your trusted partner when issues about government benefits arise. We work with you to ensure your client’s settlement is appropriately structured to preserve their valuable support benefits. For example:

When your client is disabled:
• The amount of alimony awarded can negatively impact your client’s SSI or Medicaid eligibility, if applicable.
• Division of assets may impact eligibility for government benefits that have resource limits.

When a dependent child is disabled:
• Depending on the amount of child support awarded, the child’s access to Medicaid funded medical care could be negatively impacted.
• Once a dependent child is 18, the rules governing their SSI and Medicaid eligibility change.

When your clients or their children have special needs and rely on critical support from federal or state programs, you must carefully weigh the long-term impact of any divorce or asset settlement on eligibility for those programs. Let us help you structure a settlement that best meets both your client’s financial and benefit needs.