How are the funds in an individual account used?
For those beneficiaries receiving SSI or Medicaid benefits, distributions are not intended to pay for food or shelter expenses. Shelter expenses include: rent, mortgage, property taxes, property insurance, utilities, heating fuel, water, sewage and garbage removal.
If payments are made for food and shelter, the beneficiary’s SSI benefits may be reduced or even eliminated. FMDT staff will review all requests to determine if a reduction in benefits may result. Beneficiaries who do not receive means-tested benefits are not subject to these restrictions.
All distributions are subject to the discretion of FMDT.
Funds in an individual beneficiary’s account may be used for supplemental (or special) needs, that is, for those goods and services not already provided by the beneficiary’s public or private benefits. To illustrate, the trust may pay for such things as:
- Automobile/van services
- Accounting services
- Appliances
- Bus/public transportation passes
- Camera, film, recorder, tapes, film development
- Club
dues and memberships
(e.g., health and book clubs, museums, etc.) - Clothing
- Computer hardware, software, programs, accessories
- Conferences and classes (academic or recreational), school supplies
- Dental work not covered by private or public health insurance
- Dry cleaning and laundry services
- Elective surgery not covered by private or public health insurance
- Fitness equipment, personal training
- Flowers
- Funeral expenses (if paid while beneficiary is living)
- Furniture and furnishings for beneficiary’s home
- Gardening supplies and expenses
- Gasoline and automobile maintenance
- Haircuts/salon services
- Holiday decorations and parties
- Home alarm and monitoring systems
- Home improvements and repairs,
including modifications for accessibility - House cleaning
- Insurance
- Landscaping and lawn services
- Legal services
- Medical services and medications not covered by private or public health insurance
- Motorized scooters
- Musical instruments, lessons and music
- Non-food grocery items, personal care items
- Pets and pet supplies, obedience training classes for pets
- Snow removal
- Sporting goods and equipment, uniforms, team photos
- Stationery, stamps
- Storage units
- Telephone service and equipment
- Television and cable service
- Tickets for travel, sporting, theatre and other events
- Vacation travel and accommodations
Where does the money in an individual account go when the beneficiary dies?
When the beneficiary’s account is first set up, the beneficiary or the representative will decide what happens to the funds remaining upon the beneficiary’s death. The funds may stay in the pooled trust after the beneficiary’s death to be used to help support FMDT and other individuals with disabilities. Alternatively, the beneficiary or the representative may choose to have the funds go to reimburse the State of Maryland for the benefits paid on behalf of the beneficiary with the remaining funds then going to the individuals or organizations named by the beneficiary.