What Midwest Special Needs Trust does

Midwest Special Needs Trust (MSNT), legally Missouri Family Trust, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established by Missouri state statute (RSMo 402.199-402.208) in 1989 and headquartered in Columbia, Missouri. The organization administers pooled special needs trusts for individuals with disabilities across nine U.S. states (Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Iowa for Third Party Trusts only), operating under federal pooled trust authority 42 USC 1396p(d)(4)(C). Its core purpose is to protect beneficiaries' eligibility for Medicaid, SSI, SNAP, and HUD housing while providing supplemental funds for disability-related expenses not covered by public benefits.

MSNT offers four primary product lines: First Party Trusts (irrevocable, Medicaid payback), Third Party Trusts (irrevocable or revocable, no Medicaid payback), Inactive Trusts (pre-planning vehicles with $200 minimums), and a separate Charitable Grant Program providing up to $2,000 grants to income-eligible Missouri residents with disabilities. The technology backbone is a trust administration platform integrated with True Link Financial, which holds assets, manages sub-account investments, and provides online portal access plus pre-loaded debit cards. Master Trust documentation is maintained by an in-house professional staff certified as Work Incentives Practitioners through Cornell University.

The revenue model is primarily recurring, driven by an MSNT administration fee of 1%-1.5% of account value plus a 0.7% bank investment management fee, supplemented by one-time enrollment fees ($200-$750 with sliding scale reductions), a $100/month Sole Trustee fee, and a $300 account closure fee. Customer acquisition relies on direct outreach (phone/email), professional referrals from attorneys and financial advisors, and active participation in disability-focused conferences. A nine-member Board of Trustees appointed by the Missouri Governor with Senate confirmation governs the organization, and no ownership changes or institutional investment activity are evident.

Name

Midwest Special Needs Trust

Legal name

Missouri Family Trust

Website

https://www.midwestspecialneedstrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Midwest Special Needs Trust administers trusts that protect public benefits for people with disabilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Needs Trust Administration

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Needs & Supplemental Needs Trust Services (FSAAANAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG), Guardianship, Conservatorship & Special Needs Trust Services (FSAEAKAG), Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI)

Keywords

• Special needs trust administration
• Pooled trust services
• Disability trust management
• Charitable grant programs
• Public benefits preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Trust Administration Fees: MSNT generates revenue through ongoing trust administration fees calculated as a percentage of account balance (1%-1.5% annually for MSNT Trust Administration Fee plus 0.7% Bank Investment Management Fee). These fees support operations as trustee and banking contractor services.
2. Enrollment Fees: One-time enrollment fee of $750 (with sliding scale reduction for first party sub-accounts based on initial deposit and beneficiary's annual income) required to open a trust sub-account. Additional fees include $300 account closure fee and variable extraordinary service fees up to $75/hour.
3. Sole Trustee Fees: Additional monthly fee of $100/month when MSNT serves as Sole Trustee (when no co-trustees are named or all co-trustees are unwilling/unavailable to serve).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Midwest Special Needs Trust (MSNT) administers pooled special needs trusts that protect the eligibility of individuals with disabilities for means-tested public benefits such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The organization opens and manages sub-accounts under a Master Trust, pools funds for investment and tax efficiency, processes distributions, and provides a True Link-powered online portal and pre-loaded debit card for beneficiaries. It also runs a separate Charitable Grant Program offering up to $2,000 in needs-based assistance to income-eligible Missouri residents with disabilities.

Product overview

Midwest Special Needs Trust (MSNT) operates as a pooled trust organization administering special needs trusts for individuals with disabilities. The organization offers a unified portfolio centered on Special Needs Trust Administration, which includes two main trust structures — First Party Trust (funded with the beneficiary's own assets, irrevocable with Medicaid payback) and Third Party Trust (funded by others, available in irrevocable or revocable forms, no Medicaid payback). An Inactive Trust sub-account enables pre-planning for future deposits from life insurance, wills, or settlements. A separate Charitable Grant Program (operated under the Charitable Trust of the Missouri Family Trust) provides needs-based financial assistance of up to $2,000 to income-eligible Missouri residents with disabilities. MSNT also provides investment management through True Link Financial, an online sub-account portal, and a True Link debit card for eligible participants. All trust services are governed by a Master Trust structure, with funds pooled for investment and tax optimization while maintaining individual sub-account accounting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Special Needs Trust Administration Primary service administering pooled special needs trust sub-accounts for individuals with disabilities, pooling funds for investment and tax optimization while maintaining individual beneficiary accounting. Includes trust opening, fund management, distribution processing, and compliance oversight with Social Security and Medicaid regulations.
• First Party Trust

Quantifiable outcome

• Charitable grants up to $2,000 available to Missouri residents with disabilities at or below federal poverty level
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• True Link FinancialcoreTechnology or IntegrationMSNT contracts with True Link Financial for banking services including holding trust assets, managing investments for sub-accounts, providing quarterly account statements, tax documents, and pre-loaded debit cards for eligible participants. True Link provides the online portal and True Link Card Login access for beneficiaries.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Commonwealth Trust Company: Virginia-based pooled special needs trust administrator offering First Party, Third Party, and inactive trust sub-accounts under 42 USC 1396p(d)(4)(C). Directly comparable in product structure, fee model, and beneficiary population to MSNT.
• PLAN Wisconsin (Planned Lifetime Assistance Network): Wisconsin-based pooled special needs trust organization administering sub-accounts for individuals with disabilities to protect public benefits. Closely analogous mission, pooled structure, and regional nonprofit model.
• AmeriDisability: National pooled special needs trust administrator serving families across multiple states with First and Third Party trust products. Comparable pooled-trust operating model and target beneficiary population.
• Special Needs Trust Company (SNTC): Pennsylvania-based pooled special needs trust firm administering sub-accounts under 42 USC 1396p(d)(4)(C). Comparable product suite, fee schedule, and beneficiary-onboarding process to MSNT.

Regional players

• The Arc of Missouri: Missouri chapter of a national disability advocacy and services network. Overlaps with MSNT on disability-services focus and serves a similar Missouri beneficiary population, but does not administer pooled trusts.

Broad incumbents

• The Arc of the United States: National disability advocacy and services organization with state chapters serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Larger, broader portfolio overlapping with MSNT's beneficiary base but not a pooled trust administrator.
• National Disability Institute: National nonprofit focused on financial education, benefits counseling, and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. Adjacent mission overlap but broader advocacy focus vs. MSNT's pooled trust administration.
• Easterseals: Large national disability services nonprofit offering a wide portfolio of disability programs and supports. Operates in an overlapping beneficiary space with MSNT but does not specialize in pooled trust administration.

Others

• True Link Financial: Specialized banking and investment platform purpose-built for special needs trust beneficiaries; MSNT's core banking, investment management, and debit-card partner. Enabling infrastructure provider rather than a competitive trust administrator.
• Disability Rights Advocates: National disability rights legal advocacy organization serving individuals with disabilities on benefits, accessibility, and civil rights issues. Adjacent to MSNT's benefits-protection mission but focused on legal advocacy rather than trust administration.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Midwest Special Needs Trust