ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Blowing the Whistle on Bank Fraud How the Process Works The government rewards whistleblowers who aid prosecutors in going after fraud. A number of agencies maintain whistleblower programs but when the fraud is related to banks and other federally insured financial institutions, the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Brokers Exploit 79-Year-Old Client With Dementia How To Protect Your Senior Loved Ones The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is the agency that polices stockbrokers and brokerage firms for compliance with laws meant to protect clients, including seniors, from fraud. In one recent case[1], FINRA permanently banned a […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Agent Hype Covers Up Downsides Know What’s In The Fine Print Annuities pay big sales commissions to agents. Carriers in turn design new products so agents have more inventory to pitch. Fixed indexed annuities are currently the hottest and most over promoted product in the annuity world. Agents […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Caregivers and Physical and Financial Elder Abuse Extreme Abuse and Neglect Caregiver abuse of the elderly can be so shocking that it’s hard to believe anyone is capable of so much cruelty toward a dependent senior. In a recent California criminal case[1] of physical and financial elder abuse […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER The Importance of Accurate Age and Income Information How Insurance Agents and Advisors May Mislead You and Carriers Our litigators think annuities are not a good investment for seniors, particularly when the application process can be rigged by an unscrupulous agent to make sure a sale goes through. […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Settlement in Whistleblower Case Against Network Security Company The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced a settlement in a False Claims Act whistleblower case against Silicon Valley network security provider Fortinet. [1]   The government settled the case for a deal worth $545,000.  The Sunnyvale-based company agreed to pay […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Keeping Retirement Savings for Yourself Avoid Deferred Annuities With Fees and Surrender Charges The closer you get to retiring the more you try and save for the future. While saving as much as you can is important, where you put those savings is equally important. Insurance agents, financial […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Surviving Spouses Prey to Caregivers and Others How to Protect Your Children and Ensure They Inherit the Family House Consider Life Estates Sadly, there’s a repeating pattern of caregivers and others getting their hands on a senior’s property after a spouse of many years passes away. Isolated seniors […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER The Pitfalls of Reverse Mortgages Problems for Surviving Spouses “Reverse mortgages are just a terrible idea for seniors, unless they have no other options.” That’s what our own Ingrid M. Evans recently told a reporter for realtor.com covering a story of a 79-year-old widow who may lose her […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Elder Abuse on the Rise Sharp Increases in Elder Abuse Statistics The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported that America’s vulnerable elderly population is experiencing an alarming increase in violence and potential abuse. Assaults against the older generation of America nearly doubled between 2002 and […]