A family member is being financially abused.
When someone trusted controls an older person’s money, abuse can hide as help: a power of attorney used for the attorney’s benefit, savings drifting to a carer, a house transferred for nothing. It can be stopped, and it can sometimes be reversed.
Right now
- Gather the records: bank statements, the power of attorney, transfer documents, anything in writing.
- Be careful about confrontation. Alerting the wrong person can accelerate the dissipation of what is left.
- Think about capacity. Whether the older person understood what was signed may decide the case, and medical evidence is easier to obtain early.
- Act quickly. Tribunals can reassess or revoke an enduring power of attorney, and courts can freeze assets and set aside transactions.
What we do
We act to preserve what remains, recover what was taken, and remove those who should not be in control, handling the family dimension with the discretion it needs. These matters are distressing; the legal position is often better than families fear.
Read more about our Private Wealth Disputes practice
Talk to us today
All consultations are private and confidential. For urgent matters please call +61 3 8676 7929. Telephone is answered out of hours. Contact us
