The Wolf at the Door: Undue Influence and Elder Financial Abuse

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 endnotes direct readers to additional information about elder abuse, undue influence, estate planning and trusts, and more. 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. Learn more about Michael at www.hackardlaw.com/. 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.

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.

Review :
"Required reading for anyone with a loved one who may be unduly influenced by a relative or caregiver." --Steve Baker, former Midwest region director of the Federal Trade Commission and founder of the Baker Fraud Report "The Wolf at the Door is a down-home, insightful glimpse into a complex and often heart-wrenching form of elder abuse. . . . 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." --Lisa Nerenberg (MSW, MPH), executive director of the California Elder Justice Coalition "As cases of elder financial abuse become ever more prevalent, The Wolf at the Door stands as an authoritative and reliable source. . . . Elder financial abuse is often challenging to prove, but Hackard gives readers specific tools and practical advice for dealing with it. Imperative reading!" --Dan Collins, court-appointed receiver administrator for the state of California "As a financial advisor, I've witnessed the problem of elder financial abuse grow by leaps and bounds. 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." --Paul Hynes, founder of SeniorSafeAndSound.org and president and CEO of HearthStone Private Wealth Management "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