Question: I’m the parent of a minor child who has a third-party supplemental needs trust. Our family is finally figuring out how the supplemental needs trust can benefit our son. We don’t really know about a dentist, yet. We live in a rural part of the state and don’t have extra money for this type of care. We know he needs to see a dentist. Can his trust help with this?
Answer: That’s a great question. And, absolutely, yes. The special or supplemental needs trust can assist with numerous expenses related to a dental exam. The primary request received is related to transportation. The trustee can help the beneficiary– that’s the person living with the disability–by scheduling transportation through Lyft or through a transportation service. Mileage can be paid to a driver, if the beneficiary has someone drive him or her to the dentist. Any dental expense not paid by insurance or government benefits can be paid by the beneficiary’s supplemental needs trust.
Darlene A. Kemp, MPH, MBA-HCM, Executive Director -Vista Points Special Needs Trusts, www.vistapoints.org -888-422-4076
