January 27, 2016

Individuals of any age could be subject to financial abuse but more it more often happens to elderly people. In order to avoid this impacting you down the road, there are several different things you can do. Begin by creating an inventory of all of your assets.

This includes bank accounts, brokerage accounts, investments and retirement accounts. You can do this on your own or with a financial professional but you simply want to be aware of the various financial accounts that you have.

This makes it easier for an investor to know what you need to keep track of and is also a solid record for a trusted person to take over if you become compromised or incapacitated. There are also opportunities to simplify your financial affair management. One example could be consolidating all of your brokerage accounts that are currently spread across multiple firms. Rolling over your 401(k) s from previous employers into your current account is another way to keep everything simple and all together. Using these tips can help prevent you from becoming a victim of financial abuse in the future and it also makes things easier for someone who has been appointed to help you manage your affairs.