In THE WOLF AT THE DOOR, veteran California attorney and elder financial abuse writer Michael Hackard draws from forty years of legal experience to advise families, caregivers, and professionals who work with seniors what elder financial abuse is, how to identify it, and—most importantly—what to do if abuse is suspected. As the baby boomer generation rapidly ages into retirement, elder financial abuse threatens to become a national epidemic. If not addressed early and aggressively, this unique form of exploitation can tear families apart, leaving shattered relationships and depleted bank accounts in its wake. You may not be able to prevent elder financial abuse from happening, but THE WOLF AT THE DOOR will empower you to fight back before it’s too late.
Concise and chock-full of practical information, THE WOLF AT THE DOOR is a must-have reference for anyone interested in learning about elder financial abuse and what can be done to combat it. The book is written for a general audience, and it offers case studies, research, and hard-won observations gleaned from a long career representing abuse victims and their loved ones. An index and compact sections make navigation easy, and dozens of end notes direct readers to additional information about elder abuse, undue influence, estate planning and trusts, and more.
The net profits from the sale of each copy of THE WOLF AT THE DOOR will be donated to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.
Review
The Wolf at the Door is a down-home, insightful glimpse into a complex and often heart-wrenching form of elder abuse: when loved ones exploit trust and predators prey on the vulnerable. Drawing from decades of experience, Michael Hackard explains the vagaries of predators’ maneuvers and victims’ motivations. The book is replete with anecdotes, case studies, and research findings that help readers understand elder financial abuse and the remedies that exist to combat it. Hackard offers an honest appraisal of the legal system’s promise and its limitations as well as a candid account of his own wins and losses. It is storytelling at its best– engaging and empowering.” —LISA NERENBERG (MSW, MPH), executive director of the California Elder Justice Coalition
“Fighting elder abuse is a team effort that must involve family, friends, and society at large. The key to fighting crimes against the elderly is knowledge and preventing it from happening in the first place. Written by an experienced and caring attorney, he Wolf at the Door gives excellent warnings and tips on how to protect your elderly loved ones.” —MARK FAIRALL, founder of The Real Faces of Elder Abuse
“The Wolf at The Door is clear, concise, and well-written. Michael Hackard makes the complex and difficult subject of elder financial abuse easy for the public to understand. The book not only provides valuable information, it also explores the options victims of abuse and their families have.” —NEIL GRANGER, chairman of the California Department of Insurance Curriculum Board
“Mr. Hackard is clearly a ‘sage’ full of wise advice. He shares his knowledge and experience in a clear, easy-to-read, conversational tone. As an elder law attorney I’ve been approached by loved ones concerned about exploitations wanting to understand what it looks like or what to expect in a lawsuit. Now I have a resource to share with them. Anyone concerned about elder exploitation (past or future) would do well to read this book.” –APRIL D. HILL, Florida Bar Board Certified Elder Law Specialist, Nationally Certified Elder Law Attorney
“In my experience, ‘the wolf at the door’ is a real threat.As a financial advisor, I’ve witnessed the problem of elder financial abuse grow by leaps and bounds. Plus, I experienced it firsthand when a member of my immediate family fell victim to a scam. The financial losses exceeded $100,000–not to mention the loss of pride, self-esteem, and confidence. The Wolf at the Door is an all-in-one guide and reference book. It provides helpful tips and strategies for identifying and dealing with situations where financial abuse may be occurring. It also covers the various types of abuse, which helps readers to better protect themselves and their loved ones in the future. Awareness is critical, because prevention is needed at the point of attack. Once money is lost, it is gone forever. I commend Michael Hackard for sharing his insights and perspectives. In doing so, he’s helping to stem the rapid growth of this epidemic of crime against our most vulnerable citizens.” —PAUL HYNES, founder of Senior Safe And Sound.org and president and CEO of Hearth Stone Private Wealth Management –This text refers to the
About the Author
MICHAEL HACKARD is the founder of Hackard Law, a California law firm that focuses on estates and trusts litigation. Over the years, he has helped many victims of elder financial abuse, including trust beneficiaries, disinherited heirs, and relatives of family members. He practiced law for more than forty years before writing The Wolf at the Door and has an AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell(R) Peer Review, signifying the highest level of professional excellence. He has been interviewed regularly by local and national media, including the Wall Street Journal, C-SPAN, and Fox News, and has testified before the House of Representatives. Mike received his JD from the McGeorge School of Law and has been a member of the California Bar Association since 1976. He lives in Sacramento, California, and can be contacted at hackard@hackardlaw.com.–This text refers to the
From the Author
Many years ago, early in my second decade of law practice, my mother’s family was affected by elder financial abuse, and the effects have had a profound impact on my life in the subsequent years. At that time, the focus of my law practice was on land use law, a distant relative of trust, estate, and probate litigation–so distant, in fact, that I had no idea how to protect my family and challenge the wrongdoer who was harming them.
When the incident occurred, I had the same feelings of ambivalence, frustration, impotence, and injustice that most family members of elder financial abuse victims have. Even the right questions seemed elusive. Who do I ask for help? Will those I seek help from think that I’m greedy and just out for myself? How do I prove that what I’m doing is to protect my relative? Will federal, state, or local legal authorities assist our family to right an obvious wrong? Is it true that a wrongdoer can delay or deny justice by forcing the victim’s family to wage a costly, estate-depleting legal defense?
The damage from elder financial abuse isn’t just monetary. I’ve seen how estate disputes split families and inflict deep wounds that may take generations to heal. Such inheritance disputes are as old as history and are even referenced in Scripture
