Using Disbursement Funds

Disbursement refers to money that is withdrawn from a trust account to meet the needs of the individual with a developmental disability that the account was established for.

How Can Disbursement Funds be Used to Help?
Financial consultants often advise people to invest for both long and short-term goals. The Life Opportunities Trust makes this easy to accomplish. The Trust allows for families and individuals to save funds for use decades from now, as well as providing access to money in the near future to pay for many supplemental services and supports, which may be used to improve an individual’s quality of life. Some uses may include:

• Education, information and training opportunities
• Living Arrangements, including personal assistance services, skill building, financial management, medical monitoring, meal preparation, shopping, home maintenance and house cleaning
• Unusual or extraordinary disability-related shelter expenses
• Respite care
• Capital expenses, including environmental modifications and transportation
• Disability-related support groups
• Utility and transportation costs
• Vacation, travel and recreation
• Employment supports and tuition
• Advocacy and legal services
• Social productivity and personal fulfillment activities, such as volunteering club membership and recreation
• Assistive technology, including computers and electronic equipment
• Specialized clothing or clothing not covered by public benefits
• Medical care, counseling, therapies and other health related services, including alternative practitioners, not covered by public benefits
• Birthday and holiday presents for the beneficiary to give to others
• Individual trust account expenses, including enrollment, bookkeeping, tax return preparation and filing, tax payments, annual management expenses and other trust related fees
• Items the Trust Manager deems appropriate and reasonable within the guidelines of the Governing Board.