Quora Answer: Do Special Needs Trust Beneficiaries Get Reimbursed?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Do special needs trust beneficiaries get reimbursed for medical expenses, travel, school, and so forth, or do they have to call the trustee to pay at the time of purchase?”

A special needs trust, unlike a normal trust, is a fiduciary relationship that allows a disabled or chronically ill person to receive some form of income, over an extended period of time.  Such a trust may be testamentary.  A person with special needs is not likely to be capable of managing any financial matters by themselves, let alone pay up front for any expenses.  Expenses are likely to be billed to the trust, and handled directly by the trustee.