Free Consultation | Same-Week Appointments Available

Bregman & Lantz LLC

Elder Law & Estate Planning Attorneys

Special Needs Planning - Serving NEPA and Surrounding Areas

Special Needs Trust Attorney Serving Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, and NEPA

If you have a child or loved one with special needs, one question probably sits in the back of your mind more than any other: what happens to them when I’m no longer here? At Bregman & Lantz, we help families answer that question with a legal plan that protects their loved one’s financial security, keeps their access to government benefits in place, and gives them the best possible foundation for the future. Special needs planning is one of the most personal areas of law we practice. We treat every family’s situation with the care and attention it deserves.

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Free consultation · Same-week appointments · 15+ years of experience

The worry every caregiver carries

Parents and caregivers of individuals with special needs carry a particular kind of worry. It’s not just about today. It’s about every day after you’re gone.

Who will look after them? Who will make decisions for them? Will they still have access to the benefits they depend on? Will an inheritance cut off their Medicaid or SSI? Will there be enough, and will it be handled the right way?

These are not small concerns. They are real, practical, and important, because the decisions you make now directly shape what your loved one’s life looks like for decades to come.

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What goes wrong without the right plan

One of the most common mistakes families make is leaving money or assets directly to a loved one with special needs, through a will, a life insurance policy, or a shared account.

It feels like the right thing to do. It often causes real harm.

A direct inheritance can cut off a person with special needs from Medicaid, SSI, and other public benefits they depend on every day for housing, healthcare, and basic support. In some cases, a well-meaning gift has forced a family to spend down everything just to get those benefits back.

The right plan protects both the assets and the benefits. But it has to be set up the right way from the start.

How we help families protect loved ones with special needs

Supplemental Needs Trusts

A supplemental needs trust (also called a special needs trust) lets you leave money to a loved one with special needs without taking away their government benefits. The trust adds to, rather than replaces, the benefits they already receive. It covers things like education, personal items, recreation, and quality of life expenses that public programs don’t pay for. Setting up a supplemental needs trust correctly takes experience with both trust law and public benefits rules. We have that experience and do this work regularly.

Guardianship

When a person with special needs turns 18, parents no longer have automatic legal authority to make decisions on their behalf, even if that person cannot make decisions on their own. Many families are surprised to learn this. If your loved one needs someone to manage their affairs legally, a guardianship may be necessary. We guide families through the guardianship process in Pennsylvania clearly and efficiently, so the right protections are in place at the right time.

Public Benefits Planning

Medicaid, SSI, housing help, and other public programs have rules about income and assets that can be affected by the way your legal documents and accounts are set up. We help families build plans that keep their loved one eligible for every benefit they’re entitled to, now and in the future.

Estate Planning with Special Needs in Mind

If someone with special needs is part of your family, their situation needs to be carefully thought through in your overall estate plan. That includes looking at life insurance, retirement accounts, and any other assets that could accidentally pass to them in a way that does more harm than good. We look at the full picture and make sure every piece of the plan works together.
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Why families in NEPA choose Bregman & Lantz for special needs planning

We understand how public benefits, trust law, and estate planning connect.

You meet with David Lantz directly, every appointment.

Every call and message returned within one business day.

Free consultation, with same-week appointments usually available.

Home visits available if getting to our Forty Fort office is difficult.

Serving Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Kingston, and communities throughout NEPA.

What our clients say

"Great service, with a personal touch and a clear knowledge of the internal workings of the county and state offices. All questions answered."

— Lew B. Google review

"Atty. Lantz and his staff were informative, compassionate, and knowledgeable. Would recommend them to anyone."

— Mary Beth S. Google review
15+

Years of
Experience

400+

Planning clients
per year

Free

Initial discovery
conversation

Same Week

Appointments
available

Est. 2015

Proudly serving NEPA & outside communities

Here's how it works

Call now to schedule your free consultation

Same-week appointments usually available. No charge for this first meeting.

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We talk through your loved one's situation

Your concerns, and what you want their future to look like. No legal knowledge needed.

We explain what options are available

What each one does, and what makes sense for your specific family.

We build the plan and handle the paperwork

Making sure everything is set up correctly from the start.

Your loved one deserves the right protection.
Let's make sure it's in place.

One free consultation is all it takes to understand your options and start building a plan that protects your loved one, now and in the future.

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Bregman & Lantz LLC