Providing long-term care for an adult child or family member living with schizophrenia requires planning for their medical needs and their financial security. Many families face a stressful paradox: you want to save money to support your loved one’s lifestyle, but leaving them a direct inheritance or cash gift can instantly disqualify them from vital, need-based government assistance like Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid/Medi-Cal. 

Fortunately, specialized financial vehicles allow you to build a reliable safety net without jeopardizing their public benefits. This landing page is your guide to navigating disability financial tools. Explore our subpage resources below to understand how these accounts work, how they protect eligibility, and how to preserve your family's assets. 

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🏡 Special Needs Trusts (SNT): Safeguarding Long-Term Inheritances

A Special Needs Trust (specifically a third-party SNT) is the foundational cornerstone of estate planning for a family member with a chronic mental health condition. Money placed into this legally structured trust does not count toward the restrictive $2,000 asset limit imposed by government programs like SSI. The trust is managed by a designated trustee—such as a sibling or a professional entity—who uses the funds to pay for things public benefits won't cover, including private therapy, electronics, travel, or dental care. Discover how to establish a trust, choose the right trustee, and protect your loved one long after you are gone.
👉 [Read Our Comprehensive Special Needs Trust Guide] 

💳 ABLE Accounts: Tax-Advantaged Independence for Daily Living

If your loved one’s schizophrenia developed before they turned 46, an ABLE account (Achieving a Better Life Experience) provides an incredibly flexible, low-cost way for them to manage their own money. An ABLE account functions much like a specialized checking or savings account. It allows families to deposit tax-advantaged funds that your loved one can directly control via a debit card to pay for basic "qualified disability expenses"—including food, housing, transport, and medications. Learn how these accounts allow for up to $100,000 in personal savings without disrupting federal benefit checks.
👉 Explore How to Open and Manage an ABLE Account

👥 Pooled Trusts (PLAN): Community-Backed Resource Management

For families who do not have a large estate or a trusted family member available to act as an individual trustee, Pooled Trusts—often run by non-profit organizations like the Planned Lifetime Assistance Network (PLAN)—offer an excellent alternative. In a pooled trust, funds from many different families are aggregated together and managed by professional financial experts and social work advocates. Your loved one receives an individual sub-account tailored to their lifestyle, backed by a community organization that understands psychiatric needs. Learn how pooled trusts work, estimate setup costs, and see if a PLAN program is operating in your area.
👉 Discover Pooled Trusts and PLAN Programs