How It Works

All legal issues aside, the most important questions our clients want answered are:

A. How do I enroll?

B. What happens once my money is in the trust?

C. How do I access my money?

Setting Up and Using Your Sub-Account

Establishing and accessing your sub-account is very easy with Special Needs Integrity.  Here is how the process works:

1. Chances are, the attorney or attorneys working on your case have already contacted us to tell us a little about your case. In most cases, your attorney or attorneys have made an initial determination that a pooled special needs trust may be right for you, and that The National Foundation for Special Needs Integrity may be suitable for your specific needs.

2. We will discuss your case with your attorneys. Next, we will either make preliminary arrangements with your legal counsel to establish a trust sub-account for you, or we will make arrangements to speak directly with you—either via telephone or in person. 

3. Your attorney may already have the Declaration of Trust and Joinder Agreement for you. If not, you can download the Declaration of Trust and Joinder Agreement for your state right here on our website (click on Documents & Downloads). If your state is not available for download, just give us a call and we will rush the documents to you or your attorney via e-mail or regular mail. For Indiana residents, we will come to where you are to assist you in filling out the Joinder Agreement and answer any questions you may have in person.

4. Complete the Joinder Agreement and sign it. Don't forget to sign the Joinder Agreement!

5. Return the Declaration of Trust and Joinder Agreement to us.

6. If a court order is needed or advisable (oftentimes where the Beneficiary is a protected person under a guardianship), we will work with your attorney(s) to obtain court approval for a transfer of your money into the pooled trust.

7. Your attorney will draft a check made payable to “The National Foundation for Special Needs Integrity, Inc. F/B/O {your name}” from his or her escrow account, or the insurance company or other corporate entity from whom the money will come will draft a check to us on your behalf. In some cases, the money will be wired upon the establishment of your account.

8. Within 48 hours of our receipt of your executed Joinder Agreement and the court order (if needed), we will establish your sub-account in a joint process established by The National Foundation for Special Needs Integrity and its asset custodian. Your trust sub-account will be custodied and managed with the full backing of the FDIC.

9. Once your sub-account is established, you will be able to begin making disbursement requests almost immediately. You can submit your requests in writing via facsimile or e-mail, or over the phone via our Toll-Free number.

10. In many cases, we will be able to respond to your disbursement request the same day we receive it. If the vendor of the good or service you request is able to accept EFT (Electronic Fund Transfers), then we will be able to pay for that good or service the same business day—and, depending on the vendor, you will be able to receive your disbursement request the same day you make it. 

11. You will receive an IRS Form 1099 or grantor tax letter every year for you to report any income earned by your trust on your IRS Form 1040.

12. If you have a monthly recurring bill (cell phone, cable, etc.), you can arrange for the bill to be sent directly to us.  We will pay the bill every month upon our receipt of the bill. You never have to see the bill!

You can always call us with questions, comments, or concerns. We are always here for you!