别不好意思和老人谈钱 父母或成金融欺诈新目标

　　原文：

　　Five Money Questions You Should Ask Your Parents

　　Backyard barbeques are a good time to check in with elderly parents. This holiday weekend presents another one of those golden opportunities.

　　I think for most children, it’s probably easiest to ask your parentsformoney rather thanaboutit — particularly when you’re younger.

　　But as parents enter their seventh decades and beyond, the money conversation should change. It should focus on how to best protect them from fraud.

　　As you can imagine, older generations have generated trillions in wealth. That’s why unscrupulous brokers, insurance agents and swindlers are constantly after their money.

　　“Elders remain a top target of investment fraud, and with one-third of enforcement actions taken by NASAA members involving senior investors, elder financial abuse continues to grow,”NASAA President andWashingtonSecurities Director William Beatty said.

　　“This often unrecognized and underreported form of elder abuse is an ever growing problem due to the amount of wealth seniors have accumulated throughout their careers and the steadily rising number of retirees.”

　　I know this is a difficult subject. Most families haven’t had this discussion. Nevertheless, you have to start somewhere. Here are some ideas:

　　* Have you been approached by a broker, agent or investment promoter ?

　　If so, what are they selling? Does your parent need this product or service? If it’s an annuity or other insurance product — and they already have a similar vehicle — an agent may be fishing for an easy commission.

　　All insurance agents, brokers and advisers must be registered to sell products through state agencies. You cancheck their backgroundsthrough state securities regulators.

　　* If you’re pitched a retirement product or investment, do you understand all the risks and costs ?

　　Some of these products can be pretty complicated. Generally if you don’t understand what you’re buying, stay away from it.

　　* Have you noticed any reg flags when being pitched a new investment ?

　　If a promoter asks for a SocialSecurityor bank account number upfront, hang up. If they say the investment opportunity is “for a limited time,” avoid it.

　　Any product sold under pressure or pitched at a free “investment luncheon” should be avoided.

　　* Do you need the product ?

　　For people with diversified portfolios, there’s no need to invest in anything else. That includes reverse mortgages, timeshares, promissory notes, private REITs, variable annuities and structured products.

　　* What will the new investment cost you ?

　　Nothing in financial services is offered for free. There are commissions, management expenses and many hidden costs.

　　If a broker refuses to tell you about the “net” cost of your investment after fees, it’s time to move on.（原文出处：forbes 网站）