Individuals with special needs sometimes require specialized financial planning. One way to provide this is through the creation of a special needs trust. These unique types of trusts are a way for people with special needs to receive financial support without putting their needs-based government benefits at risk. What is a Special Needs Trust? To understand what a special needs trust is, it’s important to first know what a basic trust is. It’s a document that enables a chosen trustee to hold and sometimes manage assets on behalf of a beneficiary. A special needs trust does the same thing, except it’s designed for people with special needs. These trusts can be helpful for people with special needs who receive medicaid or supplemental security income (SSI). That’s because there’s a limit on how much you can have in assets to receive social security benefits or other needs-based government benefits. However, a SNT can help people still remain eligible for those benefits and receive other forms of financial support simultaneously. Without a special needs trust, receiving financial support above a certain amount could result in being disqualified