Special Needs Trust Attorney in Utah
Provide for someone you love without costing them their benefits.
A Supplemental Needs Trust lets a person with a disability receive help with the things benefits never cover, while keeping Medicaid and SSI eligibility intact. Left outright, the same money can end both.
Callback within 24 business hours. $100 for a one-hour consultation, credited to your retainer if we take your case.
Request a Consultation
We'll call you back within 24 business hours. $100 for a one-hour consult — credited to your retainer if we take your case.
Quoted in writing before any work starts
Virtual & at-home consultations available
Years drafting wills, trusts & probate filings
Jaime Richards leads our estate planning practice. The work is quiet — which is the point.
Jaime is the patient explainer on our team — and in estate planning, that's the whole job. Clients routinely describe him as thorough, courteous, never rushed. Before law school, Jaime spent years in real estate development and finance. He understands how property, accounts, and business interests actually work — and that shows up when we structure a plan that has to survive a market downturn, a real-estate sale, or a business exit.
Jaime wrote two wills for us. The work was excellent, and Jaime was extremely courteous, personable, and professional. He made the effort to come to us when we could not come to him.
— Sylvia P., Ogden · Estate Planning
Virtual and in-home consultations available for estate planning clients who can't easily travel to the office.
How the Planning Fits Together
Which structure applies depends on whose money it is. That one distinction changes the rules completely.
Not sure which one fits your case? Tell us what happened and we will tell you where you stand.
Talk to Us →Serving Ogden and Communities Across Utah
We do special needs planning for families across northern Utah from our Ogden office.
Weber County
North Ogden, Ogden, Riverdale, Roy, South Ogden
Davis County
Bountiful, Centerville, Clearfield, Farmington, Kaysville, Layton, Syracuse
Salt Lake County
Draper, Herriman, Murray, Riverton, Salt Lake City, Sandy, South Jordan, Taylorsville, West Jordan, West Valley City
Utah County
American Fork, Eagle Mountain, Lehi, Orem, Pleasant Grove, Provo, Saratoga Springs, Spanish Fork, Springville
Cache County
Hyrum, Logan, Mendon, Nibley, Providence, Smithfield
Box Elder County
Brigham City, Garland, Mantua, Tremonton, Willard
Tooele County
Grantsville, Stansbury Park, Tooele
Sanpete County
Ephraim, Manti, Mount Pleasant
Rich County
Garden City, Randolph
Not seeing your city? Bring the actual benefit award letters to the consultation. Which programs are involved changes the answer.
Call 801-528-9357Why Choose Richards & Richards for Special Needs Planning
Estate planning turns on documents that have to work years from now, when you are not there to explain them. Here is what you get when you hire us.
You Get the Plan in Writing First
We start by working out which benefits are actually in play and whose money is being planned with, because that determines the structure. You get the recommendation and the fee in writing before drafting begins.
One Attorney, One Point of Contact
The attorney on your case handles your case. You are not shuffled between five lawyers or handed to a paralegal who cannot make decisions. When you call, you reach the person who knows your file.
We Come to You
Virtual and in-home consultations are routine here. If getting to the Ogden office is hard, because of distance, mobility, or a spouse who cannot travel, the meeting and the signing come to you instead.
We Are Transparent About Costs
The standard plan is a flat fee, quoted in writing before any work starts. Probate is hourly against a written estimate given at the consultation. Either way you see the number first, and there are no surprise invoices.
Clear Communication, Always
We answer calls and emails within 24 business hours. When something significant happens on your case, you hear it from a person, not a form letter. We explain what it means and what happens next.
A Family Firm Since 1988
Two generations of Ogden-raised attorneys. We are invested in this community, and we built this firm on the principle that you are not just a case number.
Ready to talk it through? A one-hour consultation is $100, credited to your retainer if we take your case.
Request a Consultation →What Our Clients Say
Five-star reviews from our public Google Business Profile, from people who came to Richards & Richards to get their affairs in order before anyone needed them to be.
What a breath of fresh air! I came from another firm and wasn't happy. Jaime was amazing and more than willing to explain every detail. Everyone in the office was professional, caring and amazing.Cathy G.
Jaime helped me with my trust, medical directive and power of attorney. It was easy, quick and thorough. I had a good experience. I had put it off for far too long, thinking it would be difficult. I should have done it sooner. Peace of mind is a good thing.Diana H.
A million thanks to Jaime Richards for his legal services — at a fair price.Paula Jean
Jaime Richards did a great job helping me with my Estate Planning. I would absolutely recommend him and his firm for all your legal needs.Sam S.
Jaime wrote two wills for us, one a special needs will, tailored precisely to our needs. The work was excellent, and Jaime was extremely courteous, personable, and professional. He made the effort to come to us when we could not come to him.Sylvia P.
Reviews are sourced from our public Google Business Profile. Some have been condensed for length; the clients and the underlying text are real. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Every review here started with one conversation. If you have been meaning to write it down, yours can start with one conversation.
Request a Consultation →Questions We Get About Special Needs Trusts
Short answers to what people actually ask before they call.
- Will an inheritance cost my child their benefits?
- Left outright, very likely yes. Means-tested programs like SSI and Medicaid count what the person owns. That is precisely the problem a Supplemental Needs Trust exists to solve.
- What can the trust actually pay for?
- Things that supplement what benefits already provide. Therapies, equipment, education and travel are typical. Paying directly for food or shelter can reduce an SSI payment, so the trustee needs to understand the boundaries.
- Who should serve as trustee?
- Someone who will still be there in thirty years. Often a sibling, sometimes a professional or corporate trustee. The wrong choice creates problems decades out, when nobody is left to fix them.
- Can grandparents or other relatives contribute?
- Yes, and directing their gift into the trust is usually the whole point. A generous check written straight to the person can undo the planning. Tell family members the trust exists.
- My child only receives SSDI. Do I still need one?
- Possibly not, but check. SSDI is not means-tested, so assets do not affect it the same way. Medicaid usually is, and many people receive both. Bring the award letters and we will tell you.
General information about Utah law, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case turns on its own facts.
Still have a question about your own situation? That is what the consultation is for. One hour, $100, credited to your retainer if we take your case.
Request a Consultation →Plan It Before the Money Arrives
The hardest version of this problem is the one that turns up after an inheritance has already landed. Earlier is dramatically easier.
$100 for a one-hour consultation, credited to your retainer if we take your case. Callback within 24 business hours.