Practice Areas

We focus our practice in assisting families in Limited Conservatorships where the person needing to be conserved has developmental disabilities. We teach families how to assist the individual with disabilities towards maximum self-reliance with assistance when necessary.

A proper Estate Plan for special families will not only include planning for your estate but will also create a Special Needs Trust for your loved one with a disability, which is designed to provide a comfortable standard living with maximum amount of government benefits. The Special Needs Trust will manage the resources in such a way that the requirements for benefits will never be violated. The use of a Special Needs Trust will protect government benefits, avoid probate, leave sufficient funds, and provide for final arrangements.

We can assist you in your future planning utilizing the Special Needs Trust as a primary tool for supplementing benefits, as well as providing for future housing for the person with a disability. The estate plan includes all legal documents that a family may need and is tailored to suit your family's needs, wishes, and desires.

Along with Conservatorship Estates, sometimes an individual becomes disabled as a result of a malpractice or negligence lawsuit. If these monies are in a blocked account or in a Conservatorship Estate, we can assist you in applying to the court for a court ordered Special Needs Trust to place the blocked account or structured settlement in a Special Needs Trust so that government benefits may be available.

Establishing a conservatorship for a loved one is a formal legal proceeding and involves several steps through the court system. Our office can help you to navigate through the court proceeding, inform you of your duties and help you after the establishment with any Accountings the court will require.

Families wishing to care for a child who is not their own, need assistance through the legal process. We can help families in arranging for Temporary Guardianships and Guardianships through the court.

Once a Conservatorship Estate or a Court Ordered Special Needs Trust is established through the court, the Conservator or Trustee will be required to complete Court Accountings every 18-24 months. Our office can assist you in preparing the accountings and help to navigate you through the scrutiny of the court throughout each accounting period.

The Law Office of Christopher A. Poulos can assist you in any type of Probate Petition from probating of an estate to various trust petitions. Our focus is to help keep the individual with disabilities eligible for any government assistance that they may be entitled to.

Supported Living is a residential service option for individuals with developmental disabilities that can provide a flexible support system and supports/services which will enable a person to live and be active in the community.

Christopher A. Poulos can assist in the planning, application process, and appeal process for Supplemental Security Income appeals.

Many times families find themselves in disagreement with their Regional Center whether in regards to benefits that they are entitled to or in regards to housing situations. We can assist the family through the Fair Hearing/Administrative Hearing process. We can also assist the family in other Administrative Hearings or appeals such as HOP hearings, Writs, and Special Education Hearings.

The ABLE Act allows an individual with disabilities to save money in a tax-exempt account that may be used for qualified disability expenses while still preserving their eligibility for public benefits. Our office can assist you in determining if an ABLE Act Account is right for you and guide you through the allowed expenditures form this account.