Financial Abuse
Financial abuse of seniors is on the rise and is a growing problem.
As a result of certain aging impairments including mental or physical (such as cognitive, hearing, and/or sight) many seniors are susceptible to fraud and schemes.
Financial elder abuse occurs when a person cheats the senior out of their money or their property. This can happen by people the senior knows, such as family members, caregivers or complete strangers. Seniors can be victimized by email or telephone or be talked into investments that are inappropriate by a family member, friend, or their broker.
Some of the signs of financial abuse are: (1) the senior’s living conditions are well below his or her financial resources; (2) unusual or inappropriate bank account activity is reported; (3) Frequent checks for cash are written to a caregiver or financial professional; (4) Bills go unpaid or are overdue when someone is supposed to be paying them; (5) The elderly person transfers title of his or her home or other assets for no apparent reason; (6) Large, frequent gifts are made to a caregiver; (7) The person is reluctant to talk about once-routine topics; (7) Personal belongings are missing; (8) Attempts are made by a caregiver, friend, or relative to isolate the person from others; (9) Changes are made in a will when the person appears to be incapacitated; (10) The older person takes out large, unexplained loans; (11) A live-in caregiver refuses to leave or is evasive about financial arrangements.
Often seniors are too embarrassed to tell anyone when they have been taken advantage of or defrauded. They can be worried about losing their independence or being diagnosed with dementia. This makes them key targets for scammers and corrupt brokers.
What You Can Expect
The Keller Legal Group represents seniors that have suffered financial exploitation and can help stop and/or reduce the likelihood of financial abuse happening in the first place. Additionally for those people that don’t have a trusted person to assist and review financial activities, the firm offers a bill paying and money management program.
Please contact our law office today to schedule an appointment.
Bill Paying and Banking Account Reviews
The Keller Legal Group offers bill paying and bank account review. Arrangements can be made with either the attorney-in-fact, guardian, or a client with capacity to assure that the adults bills are reasonable and are paid timely. The Keller Legal Group can either go to the client’s home to pay bills, have the client come to our office, or have the bills sent directly to our office.
Please contact our law office today to schedule an appointment.
Consumer Fraud
About 85% of the victims of telemarketing fraud are age 65+. Scams include, but are not limited to: home repair, foreign lottery or sweepstake solicitations, investments, and charities fraud.
Elders targeted by fraud can contact the NY State Attorney General’s office at 1800-771-7755 or the Consumer Protection Board at 1-800-697-1220.
The Keller Legal Group can assist you. Please contact our law office today to schedule an appointment.
Elder Abuse
In its broadest terms, elder abuse can be categorized into three areas: (1) domestic elder abuse; (2) institutional elder abuse; and (3) self-neglect or self-abuse.
Domestic elder abuse refers to the mistreatment of an older person by someone who has a special relationship with the elder in a domestic setting, for example a spouse, a sibling, child, friend, or a caregiver. The abuse can take place in the victim’s home or in the home of the caretaker. Institutional abuse can occur in a residential facility, for example a nursing home, assisted living facility, or a group home. The perpetrators usually are the people that have a legal or contractual obligation to provide for the seniors with care and protection such as paid caretakers, staff, and other professionals. Self-neglect involves the elderly putting themselves in danger by failing to provide for themselves with basic necessities of life, such as food, clothing or shelter.
The National Center on Elder Abuse has categorized elder abuse into seven areas: (1) physical abuse; (2) financial or material exploitation; (3) emotional or psychological abuse; (4) neglect; (5) abandonment; (6) sexual abuse; and (7) self-neglect.
If you believe you are a victim of elder abuse you can call our office to discuss your options.
If you need urgent assistance call Adult Protective Services at 212 630-1853 (M-F 9-5) or call 311 seven days week 24 hours.
Identity Theft
What is Identity Theft? Identity Theft is the theft or misuse of personal identifying information in order to gain something of value or facilitate other criminal activity. Identity Theft is the fastest growing financial crime in the United States. Each year thieves prosper from nearly ten million unknowing victims, including a significant number of older adults. Discovering that you have become a victim of Identity Theft can be devastating; the theft can place an undue financial hardship on victims and their families. The harm caused to victims can be extensive and long lasting. Most victims are unaware of the immediate steps that they should take to stop the victimization, and prevent further harm to their finances and credit rating.
The Keller Legal Group can assist you and help eliminate the stress of handling this alone. Please contact our law office today to schedule an appointment.
Investment Management & Brokerage Account Reviews
As people are becoming older and are faced with the specter of living longer, they are increasingly concerned about how they will manage and preserve their assets. This concern is increased by the ever-growing cost of health care, nursing home care and assisted living residences. People are anxious about depleting their assets.
The Keller Legal Group can assist and review your retirement plan as well as work with your financial planner to help explain the kinds of costs and contingences that might arise as we age. We can also explain the potential federal, state and community assistance programs in your area and assist you with the multiple applications and supporting documentation that is often required.
The firm also reviews brokerage account and other investment statements to assess whether seniors have fallen prey to scams and schemes or have invested in illiquid and potentially inappropriate investments.
The Keller Legal Group can assist you. Please contact our law office today to schedule an appointment.
Insurance Claims – Medicaid, Medicare, Long Term Care Insurance
This area is currently being updated. Please check back soon for updated content.
Mediation – Elder Family Issues
This area is currently being updated. Please check back soon for updated content.
Tax returns
This area is currently being updated. Please check back soon for updated content.
