Yearly Archives: 2026

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Are there annual fees insurers charge in life insurance policies? Yes.  Most insurance carriers charge certain fees and expenses in each year of an indexed universal life insurance policy.  Sometimes these fees are referred to as cost of insurance (“COI”) or mortality rates or similar names.  COI rates […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER What are deferred annuities? Deferred annuities are contracts where the policy holder makes an upfront premium payment in exchange for an income stream in years to come. The concept sounds simple enough but in fact deferred annuities, like fixed indexed annuities, are extremely complicated insurance contracts sometimes running […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER What is the definition of financial elder abuse in California? California broadly defines what constitutes financial elder or dependent adult abuse: (a) “Financial abuse” of an elder or dependent adult occurs when a person or entity does any of the following: (1) Takes, secretes, appropriates, obtains, or retains real or […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER What is caregiver fraud? Caregiver fraud is a recurring form of financial elder abuse perpetrated on seniors by dishonest in-home caregivers or caregivers working in assisted care and skilled nursing facilities.  The fraud tends to start out relatively small – theft of a small amount of cash or […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER What are Riders To Annuity Contracts? Riders are attachments to deferred annuities sold by life insurance agents or retirement planners or other advisors as enhanced benefits to any proposed annuity policy. Riders come with an additional fee added to your base premium. Available riders include income riders, long-term […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER What is nursing home abuse? Sadly, seniors in assisted care facilities and nursing homes are at risk of abuse and neglect in a variety of forms which we collectively refer to here as nursing home abuse.  Often the abuse is intentional physical abuse, overmedication, emotional abuse or even […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Disadvantages Of Deferred Annuities Complicated Life Insurance Contracts Withdrawals Penalized In Early Years Deferred annuities are life insurance contracts where the policy holder makes an upfront premium payment in exchange for an income stream in years to come.  The concept sounds simple enough but in fact deferred annuities, […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER What is caregiver fraud? Caregiver fraud is a recurring form of financial elder abuse perpetrated on seniors by dishonest in-home caregivers or caregivers working in assisted care and skilled nursing facilities.  The fraud tends to start out relatively small – theft of a small amount of cash or […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER What is a financial power of attorney? Financial powers of attorney (POAs) grant full authority over a person’s financial affairs. The form for financial POA is found in California statutes. See Cal. Prob. Code §§ 4401 et seq. (statutory form for financial POA). Why are financial powers of […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER What is a deferred annuity? Deferred annuities are contracts where the policy holder makes an upfront premium payment in exchange for an income stream in years to come.  Are deferred annuity policies complicated? Yes.  While the concept of deferred annuities sounds simple enough, deferred annuity policies, like fixed […]