The Law Firm of KALIS & KLEIMAN Warn Against Financial Abuse of the Elderly

DAVIE, Fla. - April 4, 2013 - PRLog -- Contact
Scott Kleiman, Law Firm of Kalis & Kleiman
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The Law Firm of KALIS & KLEIMAN Warn Against Financial Abuse of the Elderly

Davie, FL - Attorneys Neal Kalis and M. Scott Kleiman, of the Law Firm Kalis and Kleiman, warn family members of a disturbing growing trend - financial abuse of the elderly. Recently a South Florida couple was convicted of exploiting a 94-year-old woman with dementia. They got her to disinherit her family and obtained her $10 million estate. You may also remember former child star Mickey Rooney who helped thrust elder financial abuse into the spotlight after his stepson and others defrauded him out of millions.

Financial abuse occurs when a person or entity takes or keeps an elder's money or property for wrongful use or with the intent to defraud. The abuse often occurs at the hands of family members, caregivers, care facilities, financial advisors, person with power of attorney, con artists, contractors, and more.

These criminals take advantage of elderly because they are the most vulnerable. Many elderly are left alone, they have Alzheimer', Dementia or other physical ailments, they are often unaware of what is happening, they are lonely, they are weak, or are embarrassed, or are too afraid to say anything.

A couple of areas of financial abuse that we want to high are:

When one gets an elder person to elder person to sign a deed, will, contract, or power of attorney through deception, coercion, or undue influence
When one persuades an impaired elder person to change a will or insurance policy to alter who benefits from the will or policy
When one uses a power of attorney, including a durable power of attorney, for purposes beyond those for which it was originally executed
When one improperly uses the authority provided by a conservatorship, trust, etc.


There are some things that you can do to try and reduce your risk of financial abuse. Try to hire a neutral third party to monitor bank accounts and credit requests. Family members should regularly meet (at least monthly) to go over the elderly person's finances. A financial power of attorney can be useful, allowing you to name a person or people in whom you have complete trust to pay bills and handle other matters when you're unable to do so. Any time you suspect that elder financial abuse is occurring, contact the Administration on Aging, the federal agency responsible for upholding the rights and safety of the elderly and their caregivers.

The attorneys at KALIS & KLEIMAN have represent many individuals, heirs, beneficiaries, and family members adversely affected by an honest mistake, by a misunderstanding, or by outright fraud and dishonest behavior. The firm helps clients with Estate (http://www.kaliskleiman.com/Estate_Planning), Will (http://www.kaliskleiman.com/Probate_Wills_and_Trusts), Trust, Digital Estates, and Probate Issues (http://www.kaliskleiman.com/Probate), particularly those involved in: Estate Litigation, Will Contests, Probate Litigation, unwarranted influence, guardianship disputes or lack of mental capacity lawsuits.

The law firm of Kalis & Kleiman focuses on Commercial and Real Estate Law and Wills, Probate and Trusts. The firm was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Davie, Florida, at 7320 Griffin Road, Suite 109. Attorneys, Neal Kalis, M. Scott Kleiman and Olga Ruiz Baken can be contacted at 954.791.0477. Additional information about the law Firm of Kalis & Kleiman may be obtained from the firm's website at http://www.kaliskleiman.com.