Elder financial abuse has been called the crime of the 21st century for good reason. The North American Securities Administrators Association estimates that each year, $37 billion is stolen from seniors by unknown bad actors as well as by family members, friends, and others in a position of trust. And that number could grow—according to the Social Security Administration, as of September 2018, the average life expectancy for a man turning 65 today is 84.3 years, and the life expectancy for a woman the same age is 86.7. As the number of older Americans increases, so does the number of targets for financial exploitation. So, how can we, as financial professionals in a position of trust, help protect our clients?
