First-Party Self-Settled Special Needs Trusts with May-Lis Manning and First Maryland Disability Trust

Thursday, February 5, 2026 from 12pm to 1pm EDT

First-party, self-settled Special Needs Trusts are one of the most powerful—and frequently misunderstood—tools in Medicaid planning. This session opens our Lunch & Learn series with a practical, lawyer-focused introduction to how these trusts are used to preserve assets while allowing individuals with disabilities to qualify for Medicaid.

May-Lis and Denise Falk of First Maryland Disability Trust will walk through when and how first-party Special Needs Trusts are used in real-world planning, particularly in crisis situations, where spend-down is often viewed as the default strategy. The program will clarify how self-settled trusts fit within federal Medicaid rules, when they are appropriate, and how they differ from advance planning techniques.

This session will also frame the broader Medicaid planning landscape, including:

• The distinction between pre-crisis planning and crisis planning

• Medical and financial eligibility requirements for Medicaid

• Why spend-down is often the “universal” crisis strategy—and how first-party SNTs can change that outcome

• Common misconceptions and drafting issues that create eligibility or administration problems

Designed as the foundation for the series, this program equips practitioners with the conceptual and practical grounding needed for deeper dives into Medicaid planning strategies in later sessions.