ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Investment Fraud and SEC Investigations As financial advisors warn about the “retirement shortfall” that is facing many retirees, seniors are coming under increased pressure to buy financial products, leverage assets like their homes, and find other ways to make their money last. One of the riskiest choices seniors […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER News Rules in Qui Tam Legislation The False Claims Act is a venerable statute of the U.S. Government, dating back to the Civil War. Originally targeted at preventing the rampant fraud plaguing the union army, over the years it has come to be used more broadly, allowing individual […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER New Rule on Arbitration Agreements in Nursing Homes Arbitration have long been a thorn in the side of consumers, in California and elsewhere, showing up in our credit card, cell phone, TV and other customer agreements. While the issue is starting to draw some mainstream attention, arbitration clauses […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Commissions and Kickbacks in the Annuity Market An oft-quoted truism in the financial industry is that some products are “sold, not bought.” This is especially true of annuities, a type of product that often seems to provide more of a benefit to the ¬¬company than to the consumer. […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER What the Wells Fargo Case Means for Whistleblowers The Wells Fargo bank fraud case has been the hot topic for news stations, politicians, and consumer attorneys for the last few weeks. The case saw the largest fine ever levied by the Consumer Financial Protection Board, over 5,000 employees […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Lowering Expectations for Variable Annuities Our Santa Clara annuity fraud attorneys have long considered annuities to be over-hyped products. Brokers earn large commissions for selling them, and are too often willing to massage or obscure the truth in order to make a sale. Among annuities, the variable and […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER State Farms and the Life Insurance Landscape Though it may not be immediately apparent to consumers, the insurance and annuity markets are in constant flux. Sometimes, the changes may take place at a somewhat glacial pace. 2016, though, has been a year with a number of major shifts […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Revised Rewards Guidelines Issued by the IRS The IRS has the unenviable job not only of collecting taxes, but of following up and investigating businesses and individuals that try to avoid paying their fair share. The investigative effort this requires is staggering, and as a result, the IRS […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER By Steve Baker Bogus IRS Calls Have you received a call from a bogus IRS agent imminent legal action or that they are sending a squad car to arrest you? If you are one of the rare people that has not yet gotten one of these calls, just […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Retirement, 401(k) Accounts, and Annuities Although many consumers and seniors have heard of annuities, it’s not always obvious how prevalent they are in other financial products. Many “senior financial advisors,” claiming to offer specialized products and services for the elder population, try to sell bespoke blends of various […]