Scam Alert: Is It Real or a Robocall?

Robocallers target seniors with phone scams
Robocallers target seniors with phone scams.

AARP recently put out an alert to seniors with advice on how not to fall for robocall scams. Robocalls are a daily annoyance at best and, at worst, a way for criminals to wipe out your savings. Law enforcement officials working on catching these crooks face daunting challenges because telephone scammers are highly organized and operate out of many different countries. However, there are some key phrases and tactics these con artists use. This information can help you answer the question: Is it a robocall?

Experts advise people not to answer any phone call, if you do not recognize the number of the caller. This advice used to be more useful before the scammers found ways to hijack Caller ID and mask their calls, as coming from people or organizations you know or trust.

The scams tend to follow certain patterns, depending on the type of fraud the crooks are trying to perpetrate. Here are some examples:

Social Security Scam

You might get a phone call in which the caller tells you that someone has stolen your Social Security number and is using your number to commit crimes. This is a scam. The Social Security Administration notifies people of essential information by regular mail, not by calling people on the phone.

The caller will try to get you to give private information. Again, this is a scam. The Social Security Administration does not call people and ask for personal information.

These callers often threaten people that there is a warrant for their arrest and the only way to keep from getting arrested and thrown into jail, is to give them the personal information they want. Only con artists make these threats. The Social Security Administration does not call people and threaten to arrest them and throw them into jail.

For your peace of mind: if you get a call like this, hang up right away, then contact your local Social Security office to make sure that there are no issues with your Social Security number. If you make the call to the Social Security office yourself, you will know you are talking to the right people.

Jury Duty Scam

You get a phone call from someone pretending to work at the police department or sheriff’s office. The caller accuses you of missing jury duty and says that there is a warrant for your arrest. You must pay a fine to people who pretend to be the police.

This is a scam. Jury duty notifications are by mail, not by phone. Courts also do not telephone people to demand payments. Courts send notices of fines by mail. The police and sheriff’s department do not call people to collect fine payments.

If someone calls you with this scheme, hang up right away. For your peace of mind: Contact the jury administrator of your county, city or local federal courts to see if you missed jury duty.

These scam artists prey on your fear of getting arrested, even when you know you did nothing wrong. The fraudsters will bully, harass, and threaten you to try to steal your money. You cannot talk them out of what they are doing or get them to admit that they are committing a crime. Your best option is to hang up immediately, then contact the relevant legitimate government agency to verify that what the caller said was false.

References:

AARP. “How to Recognize a Robocall.” (accessed May 2, 2019) https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2019/recognize-a-robocall.html

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Not a Little Black Book, but a Big Blue Estate Planning Binder

An estate planning binder would make it easier for an executor to sort through a deceased relative's financial information.
It’s overwhelming to sort through a deceased relative’s financial information.

Life happens, when we’re not prepared. A relative dies unexpectedly and you find out that the estate planning documents name you as the executor charged with the responsibility of taking care of probate and settling your relative’s estate. Where do you start gathering information?

One of the most considerate things we can do for our family is to have all of our important information in one place. That’s why, at The Galligan Law Firm, we give our clients what we call the “Big Blue Estate Planning Binder” that includes not only their estate planning documents, but other documents that will help in settling their affairs. Without this information, the result could be a mess for those you love.

The task of untangling someone’s financial responsibilities and their legal matters is emotionally and mentally draining, especially when they have not prepared any kind of plan to convey important information. It’s not just making the calls and explaining who you are and why you are calling but having to constantly be starting at the death certificate of someone you love. That’s why everyone should consider putting together an estate planning binder.

An estate planning binder is a place to keep names, numbers and important documents. Think of it as a reference book for your life that contains the information that loved ones will need in the event of a sudden death or illness.

You should tell the people you have named to handle your affairs about your estate planning binder and let them know where it is located. In addition to copies of your estate planning documents, this is what you should include in it:

Medical Information: Include surgeries, medications, recent test results, treatments and the name and contact information of healthcare providers.

Health Insurance Info: The name of the company, a copy of your health insurance card, your Medicare card and any recent bills.

Recurring Bills: Recent bills and contact information about your mortgage payments or rent, utilities, car lease or loan and life insurance policies. You should do the same for regular bills and for subscriptions, memberships.

Insurance Contacts: A list of all insurance agents, policy numbers and the agent’s contact information.

Investment Information: Your financial adviser’s contact information and account numbers.

Financial and Legal Information: Contact information for your estate planning attorney and your CPA. I t should include where your prior year’s tax records can be found. Make a copy of the front and back of your credit and bank cards. Include recent credit card bills and note when payments are generally due.

Pet Care: Contact info for the vet, any medication information and info for a trusted friend who can care for a pet on a short-term basis. A pet trust, if you have one.

Personal Lists: Who should be notified in the event of a serious illness or death? A list of names, phone numbers and email addresses will be invaluable.

A personal estate planning binder can be a great relief for children or friends, who are probably still in shock, and it gives them the ability to have the information they need right at their fingertips, without having to dig through files or drawers of paper. It’s a gift to those you love.

Learn more about probate and the duties of an executor at our website.

Reference: Considerable (April 19, 2019) “This is the most helpful thing you can do for the people who love you”

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Should Elder Care Benefits Be Part of Employees’ Compensation?

More young and middle-aged workers find themselves in the role of family caregiver.
More young and middle-aged workers find themselves in the role of family caregiver.

As employees’ parents and family members grow older, many young and middle- aged employees are asked to be caregivers. More than one in six Americans working full-time or part-time report assisting with the care of an elderly or disabled family member, relative or friend. Of this group, nearly 50% say they have no choice about taking on these responsibilities. That’s why many struggle in silence, deciding not to share their situation with employers out of fear for the impact on their career or a desire for privacy.

Benefits Pro reports in the article “Elder care benefits: A growing need for the U.S. workforce” that under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), “family leave for seriously ill family members” is required by law. However, the law offers unpaid job protection and the definition of family member is restricted to spouse, child or parent. This has resulted in an increase in demand for elder care benefits. There are a variety of options that businesses can offer.

Many employers now offer an employee assistance program (EAP), which provides employees and household members with educational and referral services for elder care. These services often include free and confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals and follow-up services. These EAPs also address a broad body of mental and emotional well-being issues, like alcohol and substance abuse, stress, grief, family problems and psychological disorders.

In addition, some employers also have Dependent Care Assistance Plans (DCAP), commonly referred to as the “day care benefit,” allowing employees to set aside tax-free dollars for qualified elder care. While DCAPs don’t cover the entire cost of elder care, they can provide up to $5,000 per calendar year in assistance and lessen employees’ federal tax burden.

Respite care provides short-term relief for primary caregivers and can be arranged for just an afternoon or for several days.

Caregiving has shown to reduce employee work productivity by 18.5% and increase the likelihood of employees leaving the workplace. Offering elder care benefits to employees can help with retention and efficiency, as well as with businesses’ bottom line. A study by the Center for American Progress found that turnover costs are often estimated to be 100 to 300% of the base salary of the replaced employee.

As the demand for these benefits continues to increase, employers are recognizing the diverse needs of their workforce and are creating programs that have benefits to help at all stages of life.

Learn more about what health care documents a caregiver needs to be able to make medical decisions for an elderly or disabled family member.

Reference: Benefits Pro (April 30, 2019) “Elder care benefits: A growing need for the U.S. workforce”

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