Yearly Archives: 2026

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

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Are dependent adults in group homes vulnerable to sexual abuse? Yes. Abuse in residential care facilities is more widespread than many people believe. According to data from The Disability and Abuse Project, a Los Angeles-based organization dedicated to combating abuse of people with developmental or intellectual disabilities, 70% of […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER What’s the problem with a free steak dinner or lunch? Insurance carriers, marketing groups and agents are creative in the ways they sell life insurance and annuity products to senior citizens.  One recurring example is the free lunch or free steak dinner invite.  A free meal is always […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER What is financial elder abuse? California broadly defines what constitutes financial elder 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 personal property of an elder or dependent adult […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER What is a deferred annuity? 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, like fixed indexed annuities, are extremely complicated life […]

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). A financial power of attorney […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER What is nursing home abuse? Sadly, seniors in assisted care facilities and nursing homes are at risk of abuse and neglect by the very individuals paid to care for them.  Stories of intentional abuse of seniors in these settings are hard to read but abuse is a real […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER What is financial elder abuse? California broadly defines what constitutes financial elder 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 personal property of an elder or dependent adult […]

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 […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER What is financial elder abuse? California broadly defines what constitutes financial elder 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 personal property of an elder or dependent adult […]