We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. This helps support what we do and in no way costs you a thing. We are also NOT medical professionals - so any ideas we share or suggest have been based off our own research and experiences as caregivers. ALWAYS consult with your own medical team.
How To Protect Aging Parents Assets? Memory loss tends to come with aging, and with this comes poor judgment. Poor judgment will lead to bad choices that cannot be reversed, and, in the end, may even lead to death. Senior citizens are most at risk for issues like these, and without proper guidance, it may end up costing them life-threatening breakdowns.
There comes a day when they can’t manage to make any decisions by themselves, especially that which is critical and life-changing. One wrong move can jeopardize their hard-earned savings, cost them their homes and other assets.
How To Protect Aging Parents Assets
‘s say they are affected financially because of a wrong step; it will put pressure on the entire family should a crisis develop.
Noticing the Changes
Most people agree that while their parents were going up in age, they had various talks with them about their financial status and assets. But as you go on, you realize they start to slow on their proactive skills and thinking abilities.
This behavior is where you need to step in and start making critical decisions for them so they won’t have the error of doing something regretful. Also, take note of the small changes such as them finding it hard to calculate tips on restaurant bills or anything of that nature.
Steps to Protect Aging Parents Assets
Sitting down with your parents and having a talk about their lives and finance is the best thing you can do for them. Their long-term financing plan is your responsibility, and making efforts to protect them from a mental breakdown will benefit everyone in the long run.
For older people who are not conscious of what they are doing, scammers may take set on them, or they may make stupid investments that can ruin their lives. Know of anyone in this situation?
Many people had noted that their parents have gone down that dark path, and they wish they had done something before it went so far. As most people age, they are hit with a form of dementia, an illness that affects their cognitive ability. They are not able to think proactively, and managing their finances will be a struggle.
Older adults love charity, and if you are not careful, they will give away everything to every Mary and John that knock on their door. Keeping a check of the bank statements will report how much-unwarranted payments are revealed, and sometimes they don’t remember making any of those purchases.
How to tell When a Crisis is Looming
Many signs show when your parents may be losing their sense of ability to manage their finances on their own. Knowing the point to step in may involve your loved ones:
Forgetting to pay rent or bills and other utilities
When you notice their utilities have been disconnected because they forgot to pay the bills, you will need to check up on them to see what is happening.
Funds missing from their bank account
If you notice their bank accounts are getting low and the funds cannot be accounted for, then you need to take check of their actions.
Unusual spending habits
Are they buying more than they used to or buying unnecessary items? Take a rain-check on their new spending habits.
They have deposited money to fraud or scam alerts
Being lonely and without guidance, while suffering from a cognitive problem can be detrimental to their financial status.
Bank calls about suspicious activities
If you are the contact person on their account and you receive an alert call from the bank, you may need to rethink giving them access to withdrawing without your approval.
How to Help Your Parents Guard their Assets
Seniors are more at risk of putting themselves in danger of spending without thinking about what they are doing. As such, it is your responsibility to help them and be their conscious thinker. But how can you help them? Here’s how: ‘
Reduce their access to hectic accounts
Simplifying their accounts and investment portfolios is a great start to allowing them to manage with ease. Take, for instance, an 80-year-old person; it would not be ideal for them to be operating a financial account with multiple stocks and trading.
Use a credit-monitoring service
A credit-monitoring service will help your parents to manage their finances better as they can keep track of every activity associated with their account. It also helps you to stay on track with their financial activities. Enlighten your parents about fraudulent and scam-related actions so they will know what is legit and what they should avoid.
Remove contact details from call registry
Ensure your parents’ contact numbers are added to all “do not call” registries so they will not fall victim to scams and selling plans of telemarketers. Remember, sales representatives know just how to get you to spend your hard-earned money.
Help with their Taxes
Taxes are one of the most critical financial activities you need to help your aging parents with. Not everything is printed clear enough for them to understand, and as such, they may sign to what is damaging to their funds.
However, offer to help instead of doing it all on your own as this may cause an issue. Let them understand why you are doing what you are doing.
Create a spending plan and budget
Help your parents to plan financially and know what they want for a set period and how much it may cost. This option will provide for organized planning and spending without going overboard and causing detrimental damages to their life-savings.
However, if you realize this does not help, you can arrange for a spending limit (have a boundary on the amount they have access to). You may also want to seize all credit and debit cards if you notice they have uncontrolled spending habits.
Try our Finances Tracker FREE Printable:
Create a Power of Attorney
A power of attorney will allow your parents to permit a trusted person or persons to handle all financial and medical decisions should anything happen to them.
This option will help to keep all details up to date and efficient record-keeping of all activities. Also, whoever is chosen should always give vital information to another trusted family member should further issues develop.
As your parents get older, you can never tell when they may start losing their memories, so you want to plan. Don’t wait until all their future finances are in danger before you start putting things into action; it may be too late!
