Understanding California’s New Community Family Support Program: A Resource for Families Supporting Adults With Disabilities

Understanding California’s New Community Family Support Program: A Resource for Families Supporting Adults With Disabilities

For many families caring for an adult child with developmental disabilities, navigating the web of benefits, services, and government programs can feel overwhelming. Between IHSS, SSI, CalFresh, medical needs, behavioral supports, and long-term planning, parents often find themselves acting as full-time case managers without the training, time, or guidance to do it alone. California’s Coordinated…

How to Start the Estate-Planning Conversation with Your Parents Without All the Awkwardness

How to Start the Estate-Planning Conversation with Your Parents Without All the Awkwardness

The Conversation No One Wants to Have… But Every Family Eventually Must Talking to your parents about estate planning might feel uncomfortable or even a little scary. After all, no one wants to imagine a time when their parents are no longer around. But avoiding the topic doesn’t stop future problems. In fact, it can…

Estate Planning in 2025: What Every Family Needs to Know About the Changing Landscape

Estate Planning in 2025: What Every Family Needs to Know About the Changing Landscape

A New Year, A New Chapter for Family Legacy Planning If you’ve been putting off estate planning, 2025 might just be your wake-up call. Between shifting tax laws, new digital-asset rules, and evolving family structures, this year has already proven that an outdated will or trust could leave your loved ones unprotected. Families across California…

When Hospitals Fail to Communicate: What the McLaren Settlement Means for Families

When Hospitals Fail to Communicate: What the McLaren Settlement Means for Families

When we go to a hospital, we trust that everyone in our family, no matter their abilities, will be heard and understood. For families with loved ones who are deaf or hard of hearing, that trust was recently put to the test. In September 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a settlement with McLaren Health…

How to Choose the Right Trustee for a Special Needs Trust in California

How to Choose the Right Trustee for a Special Needs Trust in California

Written by Robert Nickerson Setting up a Special Needs Trust (SNT) is one of the most powerful ways California families can protect a loved one with disabilities. But creating the trust is only half the job;  you also need to choose the right trustee or administrator. The trustee manages the money, protects eligibility for Medi-Cal…

California Self-Determination Program for Special Needs Families

California Self-Determination Program for Special Needs Families

If you’re a parent of a child with special needs, you’ve probably spent time working with the Regional Center to get services and support. But did you know there’s a program that gives you more freedom to choose how your child’s support is provided? It’s called the Self-Determination Program (SDP) and it could be a great…

Understanding Medi-Cal’s 2026 Asset Limit Changes: What Families with Special Needs Trusts Need to Know

Understanding Medi-Cal’s 2026 Asset Limit Changes: What Families with Special Needs Trusts Need to Know

If you’re caring for a loved one with special needs, you understand how crucial it is to protect their access to healthcare and government benefits. With California set to reinstate Medi-Cal asset limits in 2026, many families are asking the same questions: Will this impact our special needs trust? And what steps should we take to…

How to Protect Your Trust Fund from Mismanagement: Lessons from the Govoni Scandal

How to Protect Your Trust Fund from Mismanagement: Lessons from the Govoni Scandal

What if the professional you’ve entrusted to safeguard your child’s special‑needs inheritance is secretly draining it dry… right under your nose, while you’re living under a different state’s laws? This isn’t fiction; it happened in Florida, and it should terrify every California parent preparing a trust. I’ve been in this profession long enough to know…

Go Bananas Webinar: Conservatorships vs. Power of Attorney & Health Care Directives

Go Bananas Webinar: Conservatorships vs. Power of Attorney & Health Care Directives

Planning legal support for a loved one with developmental disabilities can feel confusing—but understanding your options is the first step toward peace of mind. In this informative webinar, Jeffrey C. Nickerson, Esq. of Nickerson Law teams up with Go Bananas to guide families through the differences between Limited Conservatorships, Powers of Attorney, and Advance Health…

Go Bananas Webinar: A Family Guide to Special Needs Trusts

Go Bananas Webinar: A Family Guide to Special Needs Trusts

Planning for the future of a loved one with special needs can feel overwhelming—but it doesn’t have to be. In this informative webinar, Jeffrey C. Nickerson, Esq. of Nickerson Law teams up with Go Bananas to walk families through the essentials of Special Needs Trusts. Learn how to protect government benefits, plan long-term care, and…