ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER  FINRA Cracking Down on Faulty Annuity Replacements Cracking Down on Exploitation The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is looking closely at brokers who churn their clients’ variable annuities. Recently, FINRA announced it disciplinary measures against two brokers who churned client annuities.  The churns (ore replacements) resulted in heavy […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER The Pitfalls of Reverse Mortgages Complicated AND Expensive Seniors in Contra Costa County and throughout the State of California are often approached to take out reverse mortgages on their homes. Typically, these seniors have substantial equity in their home and the home’s value has appreciated significantly over the […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER  Whistleblower Anonymity The IRS encourages whistleblowers to assist in prosecuting tax fraud and rewards whistleblowers when the government recovers money. From initial application up to trial, the whistleblower’s anonymity can usually be preserved. If the case gets to the Tax Court the whistleblower/relator’s name is likely to be […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Banks Can Refuse to Honor Power of Attorney  Power of Attorney Abuse California law requires banks to report known and reasonably suspected cases of financial elder abuse. Recently, the California Legislature expanded that law to allow banks and credit unions the right to refuse to honor a power […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Understanding Annuities Tying Up Savings and Hidden Costs Annuities are insurance contracts sold to provide guaranteed income for life. Deferred annuities defer that income (and possibly taxes) until a future date. Insurance agents and advisors promote annuities as retirement savings vehicles. We at Evans Law Firm do not […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Pharmaceutical Company Settles Whistleblower Case for $456 Million False Claims Act Suit Whistleblower/qui tam cases under the federal False Claims Act (FCA) can be huge. The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced a $456 million settlement in one FCA whistleblower/qui tam case against a leading pharmaceutical company. The […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Detecting Elder Abuse America’s baby boomers are now senior citizens, headed to that seventh stage of life that may bring “second childishness and mere oblivion” as Shakespeare wrote. The sad reality is that there are people ready to prey upon seniors entering that final stage of life.  We […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Fraudulent Ambulance Charges Uncovered False Claims Act Suit Whistleblower/qui tam cases brought under the federal False Claims Act (FCA) typically involve direct, illegal claims for reimbursement or fraudulent billing under government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.  A recent case involved the alleged practice of “up coding,” where […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER California Excessive Interest Rate (Usury) Laws  Protection With Exceptions Usury is the charging of interest rates in excess of what the law allows. Laws setting maximum interest rates have been around a very long time in California and are very complex. There are different maximum interest rates for […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Elder Abuse in San Francisco  National Epidemic Striking Close to Home Elder abuse is a national problem as seen in statistics and national media attention. It’s also an ugly problem right here in San Francisco.  Elder abuse attorneys at Evans Law Firm Inc. have spent years combatting the […]