What You Need to Know About Financial Caregivers

Considering a financial caregiver?

Are you or a loved one planning ahead in case you need help managing your money in the future? Knowing your options will help you choose what works best for your situation.

What is a financial caregiver?

A financial caregiver is someone you enlist to help manage your finances. For example, if you become ill, a caregiver can make sure you pay your bills on time, monitor your bank accounts, manage your investments, or file your taxes. Plan ahead and choose someone you trust before the need arises because life circumstances change as you get older. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that 2 out of every 5 older adults have a disability, while the Alzheimer’s Association reports that 1 in 3 seniors dies of Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. 

A financial caregiver can help you protect your finances when you’re unable to handle your own affairs because of declining health or if you just need some extra support. 

What can my financial caregiver do?

A financial caregiver can:

• Help you with day-to-day finances 
• Organize your financial records
• Monitor your accounts to prevent financial exploitation, fraud, and identity theft
• Identify benefits you are eligible to access 
• Plan for future financial needs

The relationship you have with your caregiver will likely evolve over time, but always remember: you are in control of your finances. Your money should always be kept separate from your caregiver’s money. 

Who should be your financial caregiver?

A financial caregiver should be someone you trust to carry out your wishes. Many people often rely on a family member or close friend; others rely on professional money managers. No matter who you choose, consider someone who is comfortable handling a lot of details and is efficient in meeting deadlines. You’ll want to identify someone who can communicate well with various groups of people, including both financial professionals and other family members. It’s best to have someone who is in good health, reliable, and can attend to your needs.

Enlisting a person who doesn’t know how to handle money, is in trouble with the law, or suffers from declining mental or physical health would not be an optimal choice.

Where can I learn more?

Check out the following resources:

• Thinking Ahead Roadmap 
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
• National Council on Aging
• AARP
• Family Caregiver Alliance

How can I formalize the arrangement? 

Consider formalizing your arrangement with your financial caregiver so your caregiver has the legal authority to make financial decisions on your behalf. A formal arrangement also mandates that your caregiver has a fiduciary duty, or an obligation to serve in your best interest. 

Options that may be applicable to your situation include:

• Power of Attorney — A legal document that authorizes someone you choose to act on your behalf to help manage your affairs. 
• Revocable Living Trust — A legal document that you create during your lifetime that indicates how you want your assets handled at the time of your death. It is revokable, meaning you can make changes to it at any time. 
• Social Security Representative Payee — A person who is appointed to manage payments on behalf of social security beneficiaries. 
• Veterans Affairs Fiduciary — A person appointed by Veterans Affairs who helps veterans or beneficiaries manage their finances.

How can I help my financial caregiver?

• Have conversations with your caregiver to discuss your finances and share your wishes.
• Develop a budget that includes all income and expenses. Be sure to highlight bill due dates.  
• Create a financial inventory by organizing your financial records, expenses, and other critical information. 
• Consider automatic payments for regular bills, such as utility, insurance, or mortgage payments. 
• Ensure your will and beneficiary designations are up to date.

Where can I learn more?

Check out the following resources:

• Thinking Ahead Roadmap 
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
• National Council on Aging
• AARP
• Family Caregiver Alliance

Power of Attorney

A Power of Attorney (POA) is a legal document that authorizes someone you appoint to act on your behalf. That appointee, known as your agent or “attorney-in-fact,” has a fiduciary duty to act in your best interest.  

There are two main types of POAs. A financial POA allows your agent to handle your financial and legal affairs, such as manage investment accounts, file taxes, sign checks, and conduct real estate transactions. A health care POA, which is sometimes referred to as a ‘health care proxy,” gives your agent the authority to make medical decisions on your behalf. You may choose to have the same person serve as both your financial and medical POA or you may decide to have a different person for each role, depending on your situation.

Both are helpful tools in planning for future scenarios, particularly for older adults who may be concerned about potential cognitive challenges like dementia or other health-related issues. However, anyone age 18 and older may create a POA. 

The authority you provide may be limited to specific situations or more general in its application. It can be temporary or permanent, depending on how you set up the POA. All POAs end when you, as the grantor, dies. 

Four main POA categories:

• A limited POA allows your agent to handle a specific task or represent you during a specific period of time. For instance, this can be helpful if you’re out of town and need someone to handle a real estate transaction for you. 
• A general POA grants as much authority to your agent as you wish. However, your agent’s authority ends if you become incapacitated. 
• A durable POA grants whatever powers you wish but remains effective for as long as you live, even if you become incapacitated. 
• A springing POA also lasts until your death, but it does not become effective until an event you specify occurs, such as being deemed incapacitated. 

Choosing an Agent

It’s important to choose your agent carefully, as there are risks involved. With a POA, your agent may be able to access your financial accounts and spend your money with the potential to liquidate your accounts.

When choosing an agent, consider the following questions:

• Do you trust the person to always act in your best interest?
• Is the person in good mental and physical health?
• Does the person try to evaluate a situation before making a decision?
• Does the person communicate well?
• Will you be comfortable sharing your financial details with this person?
• Is this person truly the best choice?

Note that agents are only authorized to act as stipulated by the POA and what they can do is regulated by state law.  For instance, agents cannot mix your assets with theirs or let someone else manage your affairs without your consent or a court’s approval.  Agents who violate their fiduciary duty could be held liable under the law.

How to Get a POA

Contact an attorney to obtain a POA that meets your state’s requirements. Check the Indianapolis Bar Association.

Things to Consider

It’s always a good idea to review your POA and keep it up to date. 

You can always change your mind and cancel a POA. You can revoke it if your agent isn’t the right person for the role.

Financial caregivers play an important role in ensuring that their loved ones’ finances are managed wisely to maintain the best quality of life possible. Below are some best practices for financial caregivers. 

Tips for Financial Caregivers

• Create a financial inventory. Work with your loved one to gather and organize the financial records, expenses, and other critical information you’ll need to help manage your loved one’s finances. Access our checklist for recommendations on what to review. 
• Manage money and other assets wisely. Older adults are often on fixed incomes or have limited finances, so it’s essential to help them eliminate unnecessary costs and budget wisely. 
• Do not co-mingle assets. Keep your finances separate from those of your loved one and act in your loved one’s best interests. Exploiting an older adult is a crime and carries legal penalties. 
• Recognize danger signs. Seniors are often targets for financial abuse and fraud. Stay alert for signs of abuse, scams, or identity theft that may put your loved one’s assets in jeopardy.
• Keep careful records. When acting as a financial agent, proper documentation is required. Keep well-organized financial records, including up-to-date lists of assets, debts, and an accounting of financial transactions.
• Communicate regularly. Caregiving is often an evolving relationship, with needs changing and new issues arising. Understand your loved one’s wishes by keeping in touch regularly.  
• Formalize the relationship. Without the proper legal authority, caregivers may be limited in the ways in they can help. Consider talking to your loved one about different options, such as a Power of Attorney, a Social Security Administration representative payee, or trustee. 
• Seek professional advice. Consult bankers, accountants, lawyers, and other professionals when you need help. The Eldercare Locator is a helpful tool to access support. 
• Don’t burn yourself out. Care for yourself while you care for others. Search for support groups and reach out to other family and friends for help. 

To learn more, check out the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s guides on Managing Someone Else’s Money. 

The views, information, or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Citizens State Bank and its affiliates, and Citizens State Bank is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any information contained in this article or items hyperlinked within. This is for informational purposes and is no way intended to provide legal advice.