November 2025 | Special Needs Trust Program

Season’s Greetings & Year-End Schedule

With gratitude this Thanksgiving, we extend our warmest wishes to all the families in our community. As the year draws to a close, we hope you enjoy time with friends, family, and the traditions that make this season meaningful.

To help you plan, please note our holiday closures:

- Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 28 – Friday, November 29, 2025

Winter Holiday Break: Thursday, December 25, 2025 through Thursday, January 1, 2026

We will resume regular business hours on January 2, 2026. Thank you for planning ahead, and please reach out with any needs before the break.

What Is Decanting and Why Does It Matter?

If you or your loved one have a Special Needs Trust (SNT), you may hear the term “decanting” from time to time. In simple terms, decanting means pouring the assets from one trust into another trust that may work better, much like pouring liquid from one container into a new one. When done, it is important to note that nothing is taken away from the beneficiary, rather it simply allows for a change in the type of trust that manages the funds.

One common reason to decant is when moving from a standalone special needs trust, such as one created with an attorney or financial institution, into a pooled special needs trust. In this instance, the difference is the type of special needs trust; one is a standalone, with it’s own appointed Trustee and independent trust, to a pooled trust where the trust would then be managed by a nonprofit organization that handles many beneficiaries’ trusts together (while keeping each person’s funds separate internally). As mentioned above, this is a change in the type of trust managing the person with the disability’s special needs trust account.

Families or guardians, many might consider decanting to a pooled trust when:

The beneficiary’s needs have changed, and a different type of management would work better
The current trustee can no longer serve or struggles to manage the trust’s responsibilities and would like to identify a successor trustee to accept this role
The existing trust document is older and may not meet today’s rules for programs like Medicaid or SSI
They want professional administration, with a team experienced in special needs rules and benefits

When these circumstances occur, someone acting as a personal Trustee might look to a pooled trust because it can provide consistent oversight, knowledgeable staff, and long-term stability, often making it an attractive option to alleviate responsibilities from falling to one person, such as a primary caregiver who is already stretched in supporting the person with the disability.

Disclosure: Every state has its own laws about decanting, and some states have different rules, or do not allow it at all. If you’re unsure whether decanting is possible or right for your situation, it’s essential to speak with an estate-planning or special-needs planning attorney to get guidance based on your state’s laws.

Webinar Spotlight: Planning for the Future: Tax and Special Needs Trusts

We recently partnered with KeyBank for a webinar that broke down the basics of Special Needs Trust taxation. During this session we covered topics such as the difference between a Grantor Letter and a K-1, when each is issued, and how these documents relate to trust tax reporting. A helpful, high-level overview for families navigating annual tax obligations. If you’d like to learn more, feel free to watch, or re-watch, at your leisure!
Disclosure: This webinar is not tax advice or planning but to gain a better understanding of how SNTs are taxed.

Planning for the Future: Tax and Special Needs Trusts

Who Does What?

- Ana Hughes, Director of Trusts: Ana oversees the operations and management of the Special Needs Trust department; she also offers consultations to potential clients, and supports through establishment appointments when wanting to open a Special Needs Trust. If you have feedback about your experience with us, she’s the one to talk to.
- Kevin Collins, Assistant Director of Trusts: Kevin assists with various tasks relating to the management of existing special needs trust accounts with The Arc of Northern Virginia. Kevin supports the team in providing information surrounding questions of existing accounts, managing and maintaining accurate records for our clients, and spearheads trust management surrounding trust closures after notification of a beneficiary’s passing. Kevin also continues to work diligently in supporting the department with communication between the Trust Manager (The Arc of Northern Virginia) and our appointed trustee, Key Private Bank.
- Trini Nsabimana, Account Manager: Trini spearheads the disbursement side of our program and ensures requests are reviewed and submitted through our standard process; she’s here to ensure outgoing funds are processed for review, and follows through with the payments from KeyBank. She’s also able to assist with reviewing disbursement options (forms, purchasing cards, etc.).
- Allie Shelby, Account Coordinator, Outgoing Funds: Allie primarily supports in the disbursement process, often being the first point of contact for Trust clients when using a True Link or Key2Business card. Allie is available to support clients when utilizing these tools, and ensures compliance with our policies and regulations.
- Grace Rhodes, Account Coordinator, Incoming Funds: Grace’s primary role within the department is to process all incoming funds, including ACHs, checks, and routing wire transfers. She can help with guiding how to add funds to a trust account, and support with the follow-through to ensure they’re deposited to the directed sub-account (i.e. trust).

Caroline Girgenti, Community & Client Relations Specialist: Caroline oversees all marketing efforts within our department, as well as supports onboarding and familiarizing new clients with our pooled trust program to ensure a thorough understanding in how the department operates.

Fiona Wright, Client Coordinator: Fiona assists existing clients with navigating the Trust department and can answer questions and offer guidance you may have about your existing account.

Upcoming Trust Talk Tuesdays:

12/16, 01/06/26, 01/20/2026, 02/03/2026, 02/17/2026

We Want to Hear from You!

At The Arc of Northern Virginia, we are committed to providing valuable resources and information through our newsletter. To ensure we’re addressing topics that matter most to you and your loved ones, we invite you to participate in a brief survey. Your feedback will help shape future editions and ensure we cover the issues that are most relevant to our readers. Please take a moment to share your thoughts and suggestions. Together, we can create a newsletter that truly meets your needs!

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Thank you for your continued support and engagement!

Reminder: Pre-Approval for Expenses Over $300

As part of our trust program, we want to remind families that any expenses exceeding $300 must seek pre-approval through our disbursements team. This process ensures that your intended purchases are reviewed and covered when the need arises. By doing so, we can work to maximize health insurance coverage and other government benefits, ultimately reducing the financial burden on the trust.

To seek pre-approval, please email our disbursements team with details of the intended purchase. This proactive step will help ensure that your expenses are appropriately covered and processed without delay. Thank you for your cooperation!

Streamlining Disbursement Requests

We want to remind our community about our dedicated email address for submitting disbursement requests: disbursements@thearcofnova.org. This centralized email is monitored by our disbursement team during business hours, ensuring that your requests are handled promptly and efficiently.

We encourage all families and individuals to continue using this email address for all disbursement requests. By doing so, we can streamline our communications and enhance the processing of your requests.