Elder financial exploitation is one of the most underreported crimes affecting older Floridians. It can wipe out a lifetime of savings, destroy a family's trust, and leave a vulnerable person isolated and without resources to pay for the care they need. What makes it so difficult to detect is that it rarely looks like a...
As the population ages, the use of assisted living facilities to provide long term care for aging parents increases. Often, adult children are asked to sign the admission contract on behalf of a parent who will reside in the assisted living facility. These contracts are usually presented in a flurry of activity with...
Does your elderly loved one receive a lot of mail - particularly junk mail? This may be a sign that he or she has fallen victim to scammers and identity thieves. What are the most common scams? Sweepstakes & Lotteries: A sweepstakes or lottery scam often looks legitimate. Letters come with seals, signatures and...
Our financial planners have their hands on our life savings and access to our personal and financial information. We confide in them about our goals, our dreams, and the future of our children. But, what do we really know about them when we give them access to our financial life? Often very little or nothing at all....
Billions of dollars in unclaimed property are held by state governments throughout the United States. Individuals (or their legal representatives) who own that property often never know it exists. You or a loved one may be one of them. What is Unclaimed Property? Unclaimed property is the money in accounts at financial...
In our last blog post, Should My Elderly Parents Stop Driving, we discussed the warning signs indicating an elderly parent is an unsafe driver. If you determine a parent may be unsafe to drive, there are three ways to address it: First, have a conversation with your parent. While families dread this conversation, it is...
Driving is a vital part of nearly every American's life. Remember when you received your first driver’s license? The ability to drive represents freedom and independence. It is understandable that for the elderly the thought of losing the ability to drive equals the loss of freedom and independence. Isolation and loss...
Florida has long been at the forefront of protecting its elderly residents from financial exploitation. With more than 5 million Floridians age 65 or older - roughly 21 percent of the state's population - the Legislature has repeatedly strengthened the laws that define exploitation, establish criminal penalties, and give...
It is often difficult for families to know when they need to step in and provide assistance or even take protective action with regard to an aging parent or loved one. This difficulty is compounded by the opposition an aging parent may show toward any type of help. The following is a checklist families can use to...
Are you considering getting married again? Is this a second marriage? Do you and your fiancé have children from previous relationships? Do you and your fiancé have separate finances and assets or want some of your assets to remain separate after marriage? While you must enjoy the beauty and excitement of a wedding and...