Hickman Lowder

We meet the lifetime legal needs of children and adults with disabilities, the elderly, and their families.

2023 Events

Importance and Understanding of Executive Functioning for Your Special Needs Child

02/07/2023 | 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm | Children with Special Needs
Location: Julie Billiart Schools Lyndhurst Campus & Live Webinar
Registration required at: https://www.juliebilliartschool.org/calendar/2023/02/07/february-7-2023–importance-and-understanding-of-executive-functioning-for-your-special-needs-child
Presented by: Julie Billiart Schools, Jay Berk and Associates, Hickman Lowder

Executive function and self-regulation skills enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully. For children with special needs, these skills don’t always come naturally. It’s important to find the right environment that will nurture your child, offer them guidance, and give them the tools they need for their future. In this session, our experts will take a deeper dive into executive functioning to set you up, as their caregiver, for success!

Trustee School: Administering a Special Needs Trust

02/25/2023 | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm | Children with Special Needs & Adults with Special Needs
Location: Live Webinar
Registration required at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/520536206807
Presented by: Hickman Lowder Lidrbauch & Welch Co., L.P.A.

Hickman Lowder is dedicated to ensuring successful administration of the trusts that we draft for your family members with special needs. This includes educating your successor trustees so they are prepared to successfully administer the trust you have established.

Please join attorneys Ethan A. Welch, George O. Aljoe, and Helen L. Rapp for a discussion about what it means to administer a trust.  The following topics will be covered:

  • Trustee responsibilities, including taxation and reporting requirements
  • Government benefits basics and how trust administration can impact those benefits
  • Using care managers to ensure quality of life

Alphabet Soup – What Benefit Programs Are Available for My Family Member?

03/11/2023 | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm | Children with Special Needs & Adults with Special Needs
Location: Live Webinar
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/planning-for-your-family-member-with-a-disability-1725469
Presented by: Hickman Lowder Lidrbauch & Welch Co., L.P.A.

Learn about public benefits that may be available for your family such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Income (SSDI), Medicaid, Medicare, Medicaid Waivers, Medicaid Buy-in for Workers with Disabilities (MBIWD), food stamps, and housing benefits.

Estate Planning and Special Needs Trusts

03/25/2023 | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm | Children with Special Needs & Adults with Special Needs
Location: Live Webinar
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/planning-for-your-family-member-with-a-disability-1725469
Presented by: Hickman Lowder Lidrbauch & Welch Co., L.P.A.

What is involved in putting together an estate plan when you have a child with special needs?  This session will discuss general planning considerations, legal documents you should have in place, and different types of trusts and how they are used.

Navigating the Transition From Elementary School to High School

04/18/2023 | 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm | Children with Special Needs
Location: Julie Billiart Schools
Registration required at: https://www.juliebilliartschool.org/calendar/2023/04/18/april-18-2023–navigating-the-transition-from-elementary-school-to-high-school
Presented by: Julie Billiart Schools, Jay Berk and Associates, Hickman Lowder

Transitions can be wonderful, and stressful. When your child moves from one environment to another, it’s important to think about everything that plays into a smooth transition for you and your child. It’s also important to make sure their IEP goals continue to be met once they take those next steps. In this session, hear from educators about how to support your child from one setting to the next in an age-appropriate way.

Equipping Parents for Education Advocacy: An Overview of the IEP and 504 Process

04/15/2023 | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm | Children with Special Needs
Location: Live Webinar
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/planning-for-your-family-member-with-a-disability-1725469
Presented by: Hickman Lowder Lidrbauch & Welch Co., L.P.A.

Join us for an overview of the IEP and 504 process, as we help equip you with the knowledge and confidence needed to advocate for your student’s educational needs. We will cover four topics: 1) the difference between IEPs and 504 Plans, 2) the IEP eligibility and development process, 3) addressing social, emotional and behavior needs, and 4) special education scholarships.

Transition – What Happens When My Child Turns 18?

04/29/2023 | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm | Children with Special Needs
Location: Live Webinar
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/planning-for-your-family-member-with-a-disability-1725469
Presented by: Hickman Lowder Lidrbauch & Welch Co., L.P.A.

Learn about what to expect when your child turns 18 and how to manage the transition.  The will talk about guardianship and less restrictive alternatives, applying for SSI and Medicaid, transition planning, and vocational counseling through the school.

Working While Receiving Benefits

05/13/2023 | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm | Adults with Special Needs
Location: Live Webinar
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/planning-for-your-family-member-with-a-disability-1725469
Presented by: Hickman Lowder Lidrbauch & Welch Co., L.P.A.

Learn about how working may impact public benefits received by your child.  We will discuss how earnings may impact the following programs:

  1. SSI and Medicaid;
  2. Transitioning to SSDI and Medicare;
  3. Medicaid Buy-In for Workers with Disabilities;
  4. Impairment-related Work Expenses; and
  5. Work Incentives.

STABLE Account or Special Needs Trust?

05/20/2023 | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm | Children with Special Needs & Adults with Special Needs
Location: Live Webinar
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/planning-for-your-family-member-with-a-disability-1725469
Presented by: Hickman Lowder Lidrbauch & Welch Co., L.P.A.

What is the difference between a STABLE Account and a special needs trust?  We will provide an in-depth exploration of both options, discuss how they differ and the advantages and disadvantages of them.  Our focus will be on how to use these tools to ensure the best possible quality of life for your loved one.

Leveraging Your Child’s Strengths For a Transition Into the Workforce

06/07/2023 | 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm | Children with Special Needs
Location: Julie Billiart Schools
Registration required at: https://www.juliebilliartschool.org/calendar/2023/06/07/june-7-2023–leveraging-your-childs-strengths-for-a-transition-into-the-workforce
Presented by: Julie Billiart Schools, Jay Berk and Associates, Hickman Lowder

As a parent or caregiver, you know your child, their hopes and dreams, their strengths and weaknesses, and what an ideal career path and future might look like for them. This could mean a college, a career, or skill or trade. This session is designed to provide you with practical resources for students in Ohio to help facilitate whatever track they are on.

2022 EVENTS

The challenges and opportunities of technology for your special needs child

11/29/2022 | 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm | Children with Special Needs
Location: Julie Billiart Schools
Presented by: Julie Billiart Schools, Jay Berk and Associates, Hickman Lowder

Nowadays, children have access to technology right at their fingertips, which can present challenges for parents and caregivers. Technology is a wonderful tool when it’s used responsibly. In this session, our experts come together to discuss how you can monitor and advocate for the healthy use of technology. We invite you to interact with experts about your specific questions. We’ll also address questions of school-age parents dealing with the results of the use and overuse of technology.

The challenges and opportunities of technology for your special needs child

12/29/2022 | 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm | Children with Special Needs
Location: Julie Billiart Schools
Presented by: Julie Billiart Schools, Jay Berk and Associates, Hickman Lowder

Nowadays, children have access to technology right at their fingertips, which can present challenges for parents and caregivers. Technology is a wonderful tool when it’s used responsibly. In this session, our experts come together to discuss how you can monitor and advocate for the healthy use of technology. We invite you to interact with experts about your specific questions. We’ll also address questions of school-age parents dealing with the results of the use and overuse of technology.