PLAN of MARI About

About

Preserve Assets, Protect Benefits, Live Well…

We are Planned Lifetime Assistance Network (PLAN) of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Inc.

Welcome to what we hope is a comprehensive, powerful, and centralized resources for individuals living with disability and for the family members or guardians of individuals with special needs.

As a special needs trustee, our mission is to provide quality trustee/fiduciary services to individuals and their families through sound and thoughtful trust administration and compassionate, caring social service support serving individuals with mental health, developmental, and physical disabilities of all ages in MA and RI communities.

We help individuals related to effective, appropriate special needs estate planning and financial planning by offering trusts that can be funded by individuals for themselves, called first party trusts, and trusts that can be funded by others for an individual with special needs, called third-party trusts.

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization we are able to provide pooled special needs trusts that protect benefits and offer service coordination by licensed social workers.

PLAN provides trust and case management services for two different types of Pooled Trusts:

  • MARC Special Needs Pooled Trust, established in 1995, and is the oldest and largest pooled trust in Massachusetts
  • PLAN of Massachusetts and Rhode Island Third Party Special Needs Trust

Some features of the MARC Special Needs Pooled Trust:

  • The trust is irrevocable, but funds can be transferred to another trust.
  • Federal law requires that the funds be administered by a non-profit organization.
  • Funds in a pooled trust are pooled for investment purposes only. Each trust beneficiary has their own separate sub-account within the pooled trust and can access funds only from his or her own sub-account.

PLAN provides case management services (fiduciary services, social support services) for beneficiaries of the pooled trust, ensuring the following for the beneficiary:

  • that their public benefits continue to be available;
  • that individuals receive additional public benefits to which they are entitled;
  • fulfills reporting requirements in connection with the receipt of public benefits;
  • arranges for direct services to be provided to the beneficiary, including, but not limited to:
    • shopping
    • companionship
    • cleaning
    • financial management