November 8, 2023 – Best Special Needs Trust Bloopers of 2023

November 8, 2023

Best Special Needs Trust Bloopers of 2023

Presented by Samantha Shepherd, JD, LLM, CELA*

This Session is to Learn statistics on special needs individuals in the US and in Missouri specifically; Learn types of special needs and how to identify when a client should set up a SNT; and Learn the key differences between a First Party, a Third Party and a Pooled Special Needs Trust. Learn how to steer clients away from SNT Bloopers

Samantha Shepherd is the founder of Shepherd Elder Law Group, LLC where her practice concentrates on Medicaid planning, asset & income protection, special needs trusts and estate planning, trust & estate administration, and guardianship of persons with special needs. Samantha is also the founder and President & CEO of Assured Trust Company (ATC). As an expert in the field of Special Needs Planning, ATC, under the guidance of Ms. Shepherd, provides trust administration and care management services to the most vulnerable. Samantha is a Board-Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA), as certified by the National Elder Law Foundation and the American Bar Association. Recognized by her clients, Samantha received the highest rating by avvo.com. The judiciary has granted Ms. Shepherd the highest AV rating for professional excellence through Martindale-Hubbell. Samantha also holds the distinction of Super Lawyer. Ms. Shepherd is a member of the Kansas and Missouri chapters of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and has been awarded NAELA’s Council of Advanced Practitioners. She has served on the National Board of NAELA, a peer-elected position. She is a Past-Chair of the Missouri Bar Elder Law Committee and Past-President of the Missouri Chapter of NAELA. She is a member of the Estate Planning Society of Kansas City, the Kansas and Missouri Bar Associations, Johnson County Bar Association, and the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association (KCMBA) where she served as Chair of the Trust & Estates Committee. She also served on the board of Kansas Advocates for Better Care, volunteers on the board of directors of Down Syndrome Innovations and is the Founder of the charity, Special Needs Assured. Ms. Shepherd received her B.A. from Tulane University and her J.D. from Boston College School of Law. She has also earned an LL.M. from the University of Missouri – Kansas City. She has been admitted to practice in Massachusetts, Maine, Kansas, & Missouri. Samantha is a frequent lecturer on the topics of Elder Law, Special Needs Planning, and Trust Administration, advising and educating other attorneys and community organizations. She has spoken at state (Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma) and national conferences hosted by the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. Samantha has also presented to the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association (KCMBA), Kansas Bar Association, Missouri Trust Institute, National Business Institute (NBI), the Missouri Bar Estate, Trust, & Elder Law Institute, the Oklahoma Bar, Elder Counsel, Wealth Counsel, UMKC School of Law, Mid-Continent Public Library, Raytown School District, & the Northland Community Service Coalition. Samantha considers it a blessing to be sought out by local media to share her expertise and has, by request, appeared on PBS, KCUR, & KSHB-TV to discuss issues affecting seniors and people with disabilities. She treasures being a spokesperson for Special Needs Assured – educating families of those with disabilities on the benefits of the ABLE Account. On the legislative front, Ms. Shepherd has drafted the decanting language for special needs trusts in Missouri. In her free time, Samantha enjoys life in Kansas City, travelling, reading, pickleball, and spending time with her family and friends.