ABLE accounts and special needs trusts function completely differently from one another, so it really depends on what you are trying to accomplish.

ABLE (Achieving A Better Life Experience) accounts are self-managed saving and spending accounts for paying qualified disability expenses. Account holders are responsible for managing the account, investing the funds, and making sure that distributions comply with applicable rules. The annual limit on contributions to ABLE accounts for 2025 is $19,000 and the disability must have occured prior to age 26.

Special needs trusts, on the other hand, provide the infrastructure necessary to manage the financial components of long-term and intergenerational care for disabled loved ones.

Special needs trusts, including Visible National Trust, are managed by a professional Trustee. The Trustee is responsible for management of the trust account including investing, reporting, and distributions. There is no limit on the amount of contributions to a special needs trust account and there is no age limit for a Visible National Trust account.

Trust account funds can pay for goods and services for the disabled beneficiary. These can include assistive devices, education, transportation, professional fees, entertainment, services, therapies, and more. Distributions made for food and shelter may limit disability income benefits for those receiving them. The trust does not make cash distributions.

Yes! Visible National Trust is a qualified trust, meaning that disabled beneficiaries are eligible for all applicable benefits programs.

First, we’ll have a conversation with you and your advisor to make sure Visible is a good fit for you. Then, we’ll need a completed application, called a “Joinder Agreement”. Then, we’ll set up your Visible National Trust separate trust account so it can be funded.

Absolutely. We are delighted to work with families’ trusted advisors. We’re happy to reach out to your Advisor directly and your Advisor can also reach out to us at their convenience.

The Visible team with work directly with you to establish your separate trust account.

Once the separate trust account is opened, the donors can fund the account, and the beneficiary or their designated advocate can electronically request distributions to pay for services and items they need. Account information is available online by logging onto the Visible website; paper statements are an option as well. You’ll be able to see deposits, account balance, and payments made from the account. Advisors have access to this information as well.

Visible National Trust is the leading national special needs trust platform for wealth advisors and their clients. Visible is a dedicated special needs trust provider with accessible account minimums and exceptional service and support.

Special needs trusts are the cornerstone of estate plans that include the lifelong care of a family member with significant special needs. More than 23 million people in the U.S., and nearly 2 in 10 families, are affected.

Special needs trusts can be established by the beneficiary or the beneficiary’s family and are managed so that they do not jeopardize current or future benefit eligibility.

Visible’s complete solution is available nationwide and includes trust planning, documents, and coordination and communication with advisors, trust beneficiaries and families. Visible manages trust administration, investment oversight, distributions, and reporting. Trust account information is available online.

Funds can be added anytime, and in any amount. To use the trust to pay for a bill or service, simply send a complete request into Visible National Trust.

There is a setup fee of $500 to establish a trust account at Visible National Trust. The minimum annual trustee and trust administration fee for a Visible National Trust trust account is $3,750. Trust assets of $250,000 meet this minimum.

Visible National Trust services include annual trustee and trust administration, trust documents, investment implementation, ongoing account support, portal access, accounting, reporting and payments. Please inquire for a complete fee schedule.

* Fees are set periodically and may vary over time based on individual account holdings, cash flow, and changes in Trust expenses. Individual accounts may incur additional fees for account-specific services.

Based on the information you provide, we tailor our services to your family’s needs. We work closely with you, your family members, or any designated community members involved with the trust. Designated people can request distributions and have access to reports and statements. We’ll meet with you annually (or more often if needed) to review budgets, care updates, and any new information. You can also reach out to us at any time for assistance.

You can see our actions in real time, all the time. Visible operates transparently—there are no hidden fees, and account information is always accessible online. Trust funds are held at a major U.S. bank, and beneficiaries and families can track all account activity. We partner with leading global investment experts, and because each provider operates independently, you receive accurate, timely, and unbiased information about your account.

Trust funds are separate and segregated from the operating funds of Visible National Trust and all of the providers to Visible National Trust. In the unlikely event that something happens to the Trustee or any provider that is part of Visible National Trust, individual trust accounts will be moved to another provider.

Yes. As long as the existing trust provides for this.

Trust accounts are held at Huntington National Bank, one of the twenty largest U.S. banks and a specialist in special needs trusts. All contributions are made directly to your trust account at Huntington National Bank, and distributions are paid directly to the intended recipient. Requesting distributions is the primary tool for accessing trust funds. Visible Foundation, the Trustee, is responsible for making investment decisions but has no access to the funds. You can view all transactions in your trust account through our online portal.

Visible National Trust focuses on preserving capital and ensuring long-term purchasing power. Based on each beneficiary’s needs, we choose from three multi-asset class investment portfolios that use low-cost, tax-efficient Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). Trust accounts may also include a liquidity allocation for upcoming expenses. The portfolios are managed by BlackRock, the world’s largest investment manager.

Visible National Trust is the name of our flagship national pooled special needs trust and also the name of our Trust Administrator.

Visible Foundation is the nonprofit trustee of Visible National Trust.

Huntington National Bank is the master custodian and subaccountant of Visible National Trust.

BlackRock provides model ETF portfolios to the Trust. Visible National Trust invests beneficiary assets according to our Investment Policy Statement. Funds are invested in the portfolio(s) that are best suited to maximizing the financial resources available to support each individual beneficiary over their lifetime.

Separate trust accounts can be established by the disabled beneficiary, a parent, a grandparent, a legal guardian, conservator, or a court.

There is no maximum limit on the amount of money that can be placed in a Visible trust account.

Visible does not retain any funds after a trust account of any type is closed. Any remaining assets once all obligations are met can be passed on to remainder beneficiaries.

When funds are placed into the separate trust account by the disabled beneficiary themselves, yes. In this case, also called a first-party trust, each state in which the disabled beneficiary received Medicaid benefits will be paid back for the benefits it provided. Once that happens, funds remaining in the trust can be distributed to remainder beneficiaries.

Unlike wealth transfer trusts, special needs trusts are not structured to save money on taxes. Rather, they are set up to hold funds for care of a person with a disability; contributions are not tax deductible.

However, donations to the trust by a third-party will move donated funds from the donor’s assets to the disabled beneficiary’s trust and out of the donor’s estate. Taxes are typically paid by the special needs trust based on retained earnings.

As long as the beneficiary meets the Social Security Administration (SSA) eligibility guidelines for special needs trusts, yes. Beneficiaries of special needs trusts must be unable to engage in “substantial gainful activity” permanently or for an extended period because of a physical or mental impairment. Current disability benefit use is not required. Trusts can be established with Visible National Trust for beneficiaries of any age. Medicaid may assess transfer penalties on First-Party trusts for beneficiaries who are 65+.

Outstanding bills and taxes will be paid prior to closing the account. First Party trusts are required to reimburse Medicaid in all states where the beneficiary received services. Funds remaining in the account will be distributed to remainder beneficiaries.

There may be state-specific paperwork to document your new address. Let us know address changes as they occur.

Yes!

No. This type of trust is designed to help disabled beneficiaries and their families by ensuring that the funds are there specifically for their needs. As a result, these trusts are “irrevocable”, meaning the funds cannot be taken out of the trust and used for other purposes.

Many families establish revocable trusts to ensure that family assets are distributed according to their wishes; some of these trust documents may include a special needs trust for a disabled loved one.

To designate Visible National Trust as trustee of the special needs trust you will need to insert specific language into the revocable trust document.

Request more information or speak to one of our experts today.