1/28/2015 – How to protect elderly loved ones from financial ruin (MarketWatch)

If you suspect an elderly or financially unsophisticated relative may be having trouble keeping up with his or her financial affairs, there are a number of steps you can take.

Don Blandin, president and chief executive of the Investor Protection Trust, a nonprofit dedicated to investor education, says parents and adult children need to have conversations about the older generation’s finances. That way, their children will be better equipped to identify and resolve any problems that arise. “You have to determine who you are going to trust,” he says, adding that parents should designate one person to take over in the event they need help — preferably by appointing that person to serve as power of attorney.

Read the full article at MarketWatch.