Program Chairs:

Iris M. Christenson
Christenson Johnson LLC
Fitchburg

Eric DeGroot
WisPACT, Inc.
Madison

Faculty:

Angela E. Canellos
Angela E. Canellos, Attorney at Law
Wauwatosa

Roy Froemming
Froemming Law Office
Madison

Peter E. Grosskopf
Grosskopf Law Office, LLC
Eau Claire

Kevin Hayde
Wispact, Inc.
Madison

Janet L. Lowder
Hickman & Lowder Co., L.P.A.
Cleveland, OH

Kristi L. Papez
Wispact, Inc.
Madison

Heather B. Poster
Becker, Hickey & Poster, S.C.
Milwaukee

Caryn M. Sullivan
Founder, CMS Communication
Attorney, Award-Winning Author and National Speaker
St. Paul, MN

Daniel J. Walsh
One Law Group, S.C.
De Pere

8:00 a.m. : Registration

8:30 a.m. : Welcome and Overview of WisPACT

Kevin Hayde

8:40 a.m. : An Update on the latest SSA information relevant to special needThe POMS: The Old, the New, and the Maybe

• Background of the POMS
• Use of the POMS
• Specific sections dealing with Special Needs Trusts (SNTs)
• Provisions regarding distributions from SNTs and anticipated changes

Angela E. Canellos

9:30 a.m. : Panel Discussion: Wispact Contribution Agreement Issues

• Avoiding requests for clarification.
• When is a disability determination needed?
• Issues around remainder designations and state Medicaid payback claims.
• Amendment of the Contribution Agreement.

Roy Froemming, Kristi L. Papez

10:15 a.m. : Break

10:30 a.m. : Case Law Update on Special Needs Trusts

• Recent regional and national cases involving Special Needs Trusts
• Practice Tips

Peter E. Grosskopf

10:45 a.m. : SNT Portability: Issues when Your Beneficiary Moves to Another State

• Planning a move for a SNT beneficiary from one state to another isn’t simply a matter of physical relocation, but one must also consider the issues involved in the “portability” of the SNT.
• The discussion will address the impact of such a relocation on:
  o The beneficiary’s access to government benefits in the new state;
  o The transferability of an existing guardianship between states;
  o Substantive differences in state laws governing Medicaid payback
  o Obligations in first-party SNTs (and the disposition of any SNT assets remaining after the satisfaction of the payback);
  o Different standards of SNT review and approval by state authorities; and
  o The ability to modify SNTs to comport with the laws of the new state without court involvement; and other move-related issues
• Learn about the myriad concerns raised by a proposed move
• Understand how drafting in anticipation of a mobile beneficiary can facilitate such relocations during the term of the SNT

Janet L. Lowder

11:45 a.m. : Lunch (on your own)

1:00 p.m. : Beyond the Documents: Tuning into Your Clients’ Needs and Expectations

• The speaker will address the following points:
  o This is tough stuff: How challenges intrinsic to aging and living with special needs impact both the client and the family
  o Words matter: Why clear communication is vital to a successful attorney/client experience
  o Planning matters: How to talk to clients about creating a personal readiness plan to more proactively manage their family members’ needs

Caryn M. Sullivan

2:15 p.m. : Break

2:30 p.m. : Panel Discussion: Managing Beneficiary Expectations

• Overview of panel discussion: the challenges attorneys confront when trying to meet beneficiary expectations

Caryn M. Sullivan

• How age affects a beneficiary’s expectations?

Daniel J. Walsh

• How the type of benefits can affect a beneficiary’s expectations?

Heather B. Poster

• How the nature of the beneficiary’s impairment(s) can affect his/her expectations?

Janet L. Lowder

4:15 p.m. : Program Concludes

• Become familiar with the sections of the Social Security POMS dealing with SNTs
• Hear advice on creating clear, accurate Wispact Contribution Agreements
• Receive an update on regional and national cases involving SNTs
• Find out how a relocation impacts the portability of and access to the SNT
• Discover tips for handling the human side of SNT situations
• Learn strategies for managing beneficiary expectations

• Elder law attorneys
• Adult and minor guardians ad litem
• Probate lawyers
• Family law attorneys
• Social Security lawyers
• General practitioners

Book Sale – Save 20%

Guardianship and Protective Placement for the Elderly in Wisconsin

Save 20% on Guardianship and Protective Placement for the Elderly in Wisconsin. Plus, all seminar attendees receive a free two-week trial of the Books UnBound® version.* It’s your complete guide to Wisconsin’s protective placement and guardianship statutes.

Use discount code CA2745 when you order online or by calling (800) 728-7788.*

*Discount applies to both print and digital Books UnBound® editions of this title and cannot be applied to previous purchases. Offer valid as long as CLE credit is available for this program. For Books UnBound users, discount may be applied to purchase of individual Books UnBound title only and may not be used on purchase of full library.

Wisconsin Pooled & Community Trusts, Inc. (Wispact) provides for the special needs of persons with disabilities without endangering their eligibility for public benefits or placement on waiting lists. These benefits include entitlement programs such as Supplemental Security Income, Medical Assistance, Social Security Disability Insurance, and Medicare. The benefits also include home and community-based services, such as the Community Integration, Options, and Support Programs. Wispact, Inc., a Wisconsin nonprofit corporation, establishes and manages the trusts.