CAN A SPECIAL NEEDS TRUST OWN A HOUSE FOR THE BENEFIT OF A DISABLED PERSON RECEIVING SSI AND/OR MEDICAID?

Sometimes a disabled adult (or guardian of a disabled adult) who has received a personal injury settlement (or large inheritance) which was placed into a special needs trust (SNT) containing a Medicaid payback provision, will inquire about the trustee purchasing a home for the disabled person. This post will address an issue of the trustee purchasing a home for a disabled adult person for his/her own use/benefit.

The Social Security POMS provide considerable guidance regarding home ownership by a trust for a disabled person. Section SI 01120.200 F.1., provides:

If the trustee of a trust which is not a resource for SSI purposes purchases and holds title to a house as a home for the beneficiary, the house would not be a resource to the beneficiary. It would also not be a resource if the beneficiary moved from the house. The trust holds legal title to the house, therefore, the eligible individual would be considered to be living in his/her own home based on having an “equitable ownership under a trust.”

Thus, the mere ownership of a home by the trust is not problematic to the disabled beneficiary. However, as recited below, the POMS provide that payment by the trust of mortgage payments, and other household expenses will be deemed to be income to the disabled person, thus impacting (reducing, most likely) such person’s SSI check each month:

(section F. 3. b) If the trust, which is not a resource, purchases the home with a mortgage and the individual lives in the home in the month of purchase, the home would be ISM [In-kind Support and Maintenance--a form of income] in the month of purchase. Each of the subsequent monthly mortgage payments would result in the receipt of income in the form of ISM to the beneficiary living in the house, each payment [i.e., of the monthly mortgage note] valued at no more than the PMV [presumed maximum value] (see SI 01120.200 E.1.b).

In addition, the POMS provide that certain household expenses paid for by the trustee can be deemed to be income to the disabled individual:

(section F. 3. c): “If the trust pays for other shelter or household operating expenses, these payments would be income in the form of ISM in the month the individual has use of the item. …If the trust pays for improvements or renovations to the home, e.g., renovations to the bathroom to make it handicapped accessible or installation of a wheelchair ramp or assistance devices, etc., the individual does not receive income. Disbursements from the trust for improvements increase the value of the resource and, unlike household operating expenses, do not provide ISM.”

Thus, an outright purchase without an ongoing mortgage is one way to reduce the “income” problem to the beneficiary. However, payment by the trust of normal household operating expenses (e.g., utilities, ad valorem taxes, water/sewer, garbage removal, etc) will be deemed to constitute additional “income” to the disabled beneficiary, which may affect either or both such person’s receipt of SSI and/or Medicaid benefits.


Curtis J. Shacklett
Barber & Bartz
525 S. Main Street, Suite 800
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103-4511
Telephone: (918) 599-7755
Facsimile: (918) 599-7756
E-mail: cshacklett@barberbartz.com