In re Siegel

169 Misc. 2d 613, 645 N.Y.S.2d 999, 1996 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 239
Procedural entryThis page is a short order in In re Siegel. Read the opinion of the Court — 169 Misc. 2d 620
New York Supreme Court·Decided July 1, 1996·Published

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Frank S. Rossetti, J.

An application by petitioner for appointment of a special guardian to transfer assets from an existing trust to a Medicaid pooled asset trust is denied, without prejudice to renewal on proper papers, in accordance with the following.1

Myra Altschuler, the alleged incapacitated person, is a 41-year-old unmarried woman who suffers from a mental health disorder (bipolar disorder with symptoms of psychosis). She presently resides in a State-operated community residence, having been hospitalized several times in the past few years because of said disorder. Her sister, Roberta Altschuler, is a 35-year-old unmarried woman who also suffers from developmental and mental health problems (mental retardation, autism, emotional disturbance and bipolar disorder). The latter presently lives in a group home run by the Young Adult Institute. Both receive Medicaid, and Myra also receives SSI.

On December 30, 1988, attorneys for Myra Altschuler set up a supplemental needs trust funded from her assets, which apparently consisted chiefly of her deceased mother’s house, in which Myra then lived.2 The trust (hereinafter Income Trust) generally provides for the payment of income to the alleged incapacitated person and her sister, although there are provisions authorizing the invasion of principal with respect to housing for Myra.3 Petitioner and two other cousins were named trustees of the Income Trust and, on December 27, 1993, they and Myra Altschuler signed an amendment to the trust which changed the residuary beneficiaries from three named charities to the United States or State and county governments for Medicaid reimbursement, to the extent of 50% of the trust assets remaining at the death of each of Myra Altschuler and Roberta Altschuler. The instant application is prompted by the [615]*615desire of all said trustees to no longer serve as such, and to provide for the long-term administration of the trust funds by transferring them to a charitable pooled asset trust (see, Social Services Law § 366 [2] [b] [2] [iii] [B]), to wit, the U.J.A. Federation Community Trust II (UJA Trust).

The Nassau County Department of Social Services (DSS) raises various objections to the requested transfer, but the underlying basis for its opposition is said transfer might defeat DSS’ right to reimbursement for Medica’d benefits provided. It first contends that if the existing Income Trust is a proper one, there is no need for a transfer. However, this contention is based on the assumption Medicaid would be paid out of any remainder and this in turn depends on the validity of the 1993 amendment. Since we find said amendment a nullity (see, at 618, infra), the Income Trust is at best an income-only trust and DSS apparently would have no right to reimbursement in light of the residuary beneficiaries thereof (cf., Social Services Law § 369 [2] [b] [i] [B]). Hence, not making the transfer would not necessarily have the consequences DSS believes and, more importantly, would seemingly not best serve the interests of the alleged incapacitated person (see, n 7, at 618, infra).

As to the UJA Trust, both DSS and the State point to the fact the New York State Department of Social Services has not approved this trust, but neither present any statutory or regulatory provision requiring such. Indeed, compliance with the applicable statutes is all that appears necessary and their other objections to the UJA Trust are seemingly based on a misreading of these statutes and related regulations, and the UJA Trust itself.

DSS indicates 18 NYCRR 360-4.5 (b) (5) (i) (a) requires that the State must be reimbursed from a trust remainder, but that provision applies to an individual trust established by a parent, grandparent, legal guardian or court (see, Social Services Law § 366 [2] [b] [2] [iii] [A]; 42 USC § 1396p [d] [4] [A]). It does not apply to pooled asset trusts and thus there is no inconsistency between that regulation and the one governing pooled trusts (see, 18 NYCRR 360-4.5 [b] [5] [i] [b]; Social Services Law § 366 [2] [b] [2] [iii] [B]; 42 USC § 1396p [d] [4] [C]).

The State contends petitioner’s proposal to have all Altschuler assets retained by the UJA Trust on the sisters’ deaths is "contrary to the clear intent of both the federal and State [616]*616statutory schemes.”4 We find such hyperbole without merit. The provisions governing pooled trusts plainly state that "amounts remaining * * * which are not retained by the trust must be paid to the State up to the total value of all [Medicaid] paid on behalf of the individual.” (18 NYCRR 360-4.5 [b] [5] [i] [b] [emphasis added]; see, Social Services Law § 366 [2] [b] [2] [iii] [B]; 42 USC § 1396p [d] [4] [C] [iv].) This is in contradistinction to the noted individual trusts which contain no such proviso and whose governing provisions simply direct that "the State must receive all amounts remaining in the trust up to the total value of all [Medicaid] paid on behalf of the individual.” (18 NYCRR 360-4.5 [b] [5] [i] [a]; see, Social Services Law § 366 [2] [b] [2] [iii] [A]; 42 USC § 1396p [d] [4] [A].) While the general intent and effect of the 1993 Federal legislation establishing these trusts (i.e., Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993)5 may have been restrictive, these trusts were exceptions designed to benefit disabled persons. A third exception was an income trust and it also had the noted mandatory payment language of the individual trust (see, 42 USC § 1396p [d] [4] [B] [ii]). Thus we cannot deem the language for the pooled trust inadvertent or meaningless. Arguably, the language is clear enough to make resort to the rules of statutory construction unnecessary (see, McKinney’s Cons Laws of NY, Book 1, Statutes § 76), but such rules overwhelmingly support what we deem to be the plain meaning of the statute in any event (see, id., § 92 [b]; §§ 94, 98 [a]; §§ 114, 211, 213, 231, 232). A pooled trust is to be "for the benefit of disabled individuals” (18 NYCRR 360-4.5 [b] [5] [i] [b]; Social Services Law § 366 [2] [b] [2] [iii] [B]; see, 42 USC § 1396p [d] [4] [C] [iii]), and hence assets retained by such a trust would presumably be used for that purpose. Therefore, allowing said retention is consistent with the noted intent to provide exceptions for disabled persons. The UJA Trust provides that "the Trustees shall retain in the Trust such amounts remaining in the * * * Beneficiary’s account upon * * * death * * * as are specified in the Sponsor [617]*617Agreement, said amounts to be available solely for the benefit of other individuals who are disabled and which are not to be paid out as provided in subparagraph B.” (U.J.A. affidavit, exhibit A, § 7 [A].) Subparagraph B states "[t]he Sponsor Agreement may provide that up to fifty percent * * * of the amounts remaining in the * * * Beneficiary’s account upon * * * death * * * be paid over to such individuals as are named in * * * the Sponsor Agreement” and then specifies that "[a]ny sums to be paid to the State * * * as required by law shall be paid * * * before the Trustees shall make a distribution of the remainder * * * to such other individuals as provided in the Sponsor Agreement.” Therefore, while we ultimately find a transfer cannot be made on this application (see, at 618-619, infra),

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In re Siegel, 169 Misc. 2d 613, 645 N.Y.S.2d 999, 1996 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 239 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1996).

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