A third-party special needs or supplemental needs trust is a tool that— when prepared properly—can provide support for your loved one with disabilities while also protecting their access to government benefits. This type of trust can be used to protect access to government benefits granted based in part on financial need, including Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). In many cases, the existence of this type of trust will allow family members and friends to contribute to the trust without jeopardizing access an individual with disabilities has to government benefits.