Author archive: Skip Humphrey

Protecting Older Americans from financial abuse

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We took an important step today towards looking out for older American consumers. Director Richard Cordray announced a public inquiry to learn more about the many ways in which older Americans are financially exploited and about the best practices for elder financial management.

We want to hear from you – especially those of you working directly with seniors – about these issues. How can seniors best determine the legitimacy of the credentials of financial planners and advisors? What information do you have on what financial education, counseling, or management programs are tailored to the unique needs of older Americans, their families, and their caregivers? Tell us what you think.

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Something Good in Memphis

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Last week, I had the good fortune to spend two full days in Memphis, Tennessee, with my friend and colleague, Holly Petraeus, who heads the CFPB’s Office of Servicemember Affairs. I was in Memphis because of a great organization called RISE, whose name stands for embracing responsibility, initiative, solutions and empowerment. It is one of [...]

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Illinois: Working hard to protect seniors

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Last month, my team and I traveled to Chicago, Illinois, to learn more about that state’s efforts to protect seniors from financial abuse and to share information about some of our current projects. Why Illinois? Estimates from the Illinois Department on Aging indicate that 58 percent of reported elder abuse in Illinois last year was [...]

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Destination: Portland, ME

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According to the Maine Attorney General’s Office, there are an estimated 14,000 incidents of elder abuse annually in Maine, and at least 84 percent of them go unreported. There are many types of elder abuse, including financial exploitation, and it’s important to increase our understanding of how to spot and prevent it. On Monday, Dec. [...]

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