Most families who have a loved one fall victim to elder abuse claim they never thought it would happen to them. Sadly, elder abuse is a growing problem. Con artists are getting more creative and better at their job, making it more difficult for families to discover an elderly loved one has been taken advantage of until it is too late.
Financial abuse can include a wide variety of actions such as:
- having money or property stolen
- coercing a senior citizen to transfer assets by using deceit or undue influence
- forging the senior’s signature
- falsely promising care in exchange for money or property
The above are just a few examples, but financial abuse is any act by a person who scams an elderly person for his or her own financial gain.
Unfortunately, anyone in a senior citizen’s life could take advantage of him or her. The elderly are naturally more vulnerable because they are usually dependent on others. This opens the door to predators seeking to illegally gain a profit. Additionally, family members facing financial struggles may see the older person’s wealth as their inheritance, so they believe they have the right to take advantage of it now. Further, if an individual serves as the senior’s caregiver, he or she may feel entitled to take what they want.
If you have an older loved one that is lonely, isolated, facing physical or mental disabilities, or exposed to people with financial struggles, he or she has an increased chance of becoming a victim of financial abuse. Many older individuals are reluctant to report abuse because they are embarrassed or worried it will cause them to lose their independence. In most cases, by the time the senior or his/her family realizes the scam has occurred, it is too late to do anything about it.
If you would like assistance with protecting your elderly loved ones and taking action to prevent financial abuse, contact us today. The Astill Law Office has provided high quality legal services for over 30 years. We specialize in wills, trusts, estate planning, and asset protection. If you have any questions about creating a Trust, Will, or estate planning in general, contact The Astill Law Office at 801-438-8698.