The Legacy of Love: Estate Planning Simplified for Mothers

Special Needs Trusts: Protect Your Legacy and Preserve Essential Public Benefits for Loved Ones with Disabilities


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Will your estate plan protect your disabled child’s future without costing them vital public benefits?

For families caring for someone with a disability, estate planning isn’t just about inheritance—it’s about preserving quality of life without compromising essential public benefits. In this informative episode, Sara Ecklein speaks with attorney and fiduciary Caren Jenkins, whose experience raising two neurodivergent sons uniquely informs her compassionate, practical approach to special needs planning.

In this episode, you will:

  • Learn how traditional estate plans can unintentionally disqualify loved ones from vital benefits like SSI and Medicaid
  • Discover smart strategies for creating and administering special needs trusts
  • Get expert tips on choosing guardians, timing your plan, and keeping documents updated as life evolves


Listen now to learn how thoughtful estate planning can protect your loved one’s independence, dignity, and long-term well-being.

About Caren:
Caren Jenkins is the Principal Attorney at Nevada Legacy Law, serving clients in Nevada and California with a no-nonsense, highly personal approach to estate planning. Known as “the lawyer who makes house calls,” Caren crafts deeply customized plans rooted in trust and relationship.

As the only Nevada member of the Independent Trustees Alliance, she also serves as a professional trustee and fiduciary, with a strong focus on Special Needs Trusts, a passion shaped by her personal journey as a mother of two neurodivergent sons. Caren is based in Carson City.

Connect with Caren:
NevadaLegacyLaw.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (775) 720-1181

Referenced in this Episode:
Administering the California Special Needs Trust: A Guide for Trustees and Those Who Advise Them by Kevin Urbatsch

Episodes air weekly on Mondays and Wednesdays.

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Disclaimer

This podcast simplifies estate planning for women in the sandwich generation - those raising children while caring for aging parents. We cover living trusts, wills, power of attorney, supported decision making, and healthcare proxies to help you plan with clarity and peace of mind. Episodes explore inheritance, probate, fiduciary duties, and the role of a trustee, while addressing decision fatigue, overwhelm, and the emotional weight of caregiving. Rooted in mindfulness, values, and preparedness, we offer practical tools and heartfelt conversations about elder care, end-of-life planning, and leaving a legacy that lasts.

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The Legacy of Love: Estate Planning Simplified for MothersBy Sara Ecklein