We recently found out my father’s been financially exploited by an acquaintance

Elder Law
1

We recently found out my father’s been financially exploited by an acquaintance. We’re cleaning up the mess, he lost tons of money, but we were able to protect his home from this bastard. What can we do in the way of law protections against financial abuse? I want to make sure he doesn’t go through the same again.

2

I’m so sorry to hear about your father’s experience. I hate how someone can use an older person like that. It’s heartbreaking.

Anyway, you’ll want to consult with an elder law attorney who specializes in these matters. They can guide you through the legal options in your area to make sure you’re protected.

3

One of the first things we did when my dad was diagnosed with dementia was setting up a durable power of attorney. I’m no lawyer but it means that you (or another trusted person) can make financial decisions on his behalf if he’s unable to handle his finances independently. But like DevotedDaughter said, you better talk to a lawyer.

We set up all kinds of legal planning for my folks when it became clear that they were getting old. They put everything in writing, wills, medical care plans, you name it. It was not an easy process but it gave us peace of mind.

4

I’m glad to hear that you were able to protect your father’s home. Adding to LovingKindness’s comment, you may also want to consider a living trust so that you can manage the assets and ensure they are used for your father’s benefit. We did it for my wife’s parents once they decided to leave their home and move to assisted living.

5

Thank you all for your advice. Consulting an elder law attorney sounds like a wise next step. I’ll definitely look into setting up all the legal steps to protect whatever years he has left. It’s a tough lesson to learn, but I want to do everything I can to prevent this from happening again.

6

I’m sorry for what your father has gone through, mjimenez. I just wanted to add that in addition to all the legal protections mentioned, there are also some steps you can take to monitor and safeguard your father’s finances.

  • A daily money manager can help with managing and reviewing financial matters like bills, insurance, and tax forms.
  • You can also set up alerts so you’ll know if large withdrawals are made or other unusual activity is detected.
  • Use direct deposit for income sources and automatic bill pay to reduce the risk of scams.
  • Review credit reports periodically to ensure no fraudulent accounts have been opened.

Remember, even with legal precautions in place, ongoing oversight is key in preventing financial abuse. Take care.

7

I second what Hhamilton mentioned. Monitoring financial activity is crucial to catch potential threats early. Consider speaking to your father’s bank or financial institution and ask if they have any protective services or recommendations for preventing elder fraud. In addition to that, you might want to digitize as much of his financial activity as possible, as this often includes additional monitoring tools. And make sure your father knows all about the common scams targeting the elderly so that he can also be vigilant. It’s painful to go through, but educating him on the risks is a big part of protecting him in the future. Hope all goes well with the attorney, mjimenez.