PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE
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A large majority of state laws lack protections for individuals creating financial powers of attorney, according to the Public Policy Institute’s research report, Power of Attorney Abuse: What States Can Do About It.
A power of attorney is a critical planning tool – a legal document delegating authority to another person to handle financial matters. As the population ages, the power of attorney will be used even more often to appoint trusted family members and others. But the power of attorney can also be a “license to steal” because it grants broad powers with little oversight.
The PPI report, written by attorneys at the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging, explores the problem of power of attorney abuse and how state legislatures can protect vulnerable adults against it. It explains how the new Uniform Power of Attorney Act helps prevent, detect and redress abuse, and provides resources to promote enactment of this model law. A two-page In Brief summarizes the key points in the report.
Need for Low-Income Heating Assistance Continues Despite Recent Drop in Some Home Heating Costs This fact sheet explains that low-income households continue to struggle to pay for heat and the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program remains inadequate to help low-income individuals and families.
Can Advance Metering Help Reduce Electricity Costs for Residential Consumers? This paper examines advanced metering, a system to charge consumers different prices for electricity on the basis of the time of day the electricity is used, and potential benefits and concerns.
Advance Planning and Legal Rights
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In Brief: Guarding the Guardians: Promising Practices for Court Monitoring
A succinct summary of the AARP Public Policy Institute (PPI) Research Report of the same title in which Naomi Karp (PPI) and Erica Wood (American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging) identify methods for helping courts effectively monitor adult guardianships to protect some of the most vulnerable people in our society. These promising practices enable courts to detect abuses and sanction guardians who demonstrate malfeasance. (2 pages)
December 13, 2007
By: Naomi Karp, J.D., AARP Public Policy Institute; Erica F. Wood, American Bar Association | Source: AARP Public Policy Institute; American Bar Association
Guarding the Guardians: Promising Practices for Court Monitoring
Court monitoring of adult guardianships is essential to ensuring the welfare of some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Effective guardianship monitoring methods are identified in this AARP Public Policy Institute (PPI) Research Report by Naomi Karp of PPI and Erica Wood of the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging. These promising practices enable courts to detect abuses and sanction guardians who demonstrate malfeasance. (91 pages)
December 13, 2007
By: Naomi Karp, J.D., AARP Public Policy Institute; Erica F. Wood, American Bar Association | Source: AARP Public Policy Institute; American Bar Association
Federal Options to Improve America's Ailing Guardianship System
Guardianship can both prevent and promote elder abuse. This December 2006 White Paper by Naomi Karp, JD, of AARP’s Public Policy Institute explores federal options to improve guardianship, suggesting three areas for federal-level action to enhance protections for incapacitated elders. (8 pages)
December 31, 2006
By: Naomi Karp, J.D., AARP Public Policy Institute | Source: AARP Public Policy Institute
Guardianship Monitoring: A National Survey of Court Practices
How well do courts monitor the growing number of guardians they appoint to safeguard adults who lack capacity to make their own decisions? In this AARP Public Policy Institute (PPI) report of a 2005 national survey of experts with frontline experience, Naomi Karp of AARP PPI and Erica Wood of the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging explore current court practices in monitoring guardianships. (63 pages)
June 30, 2006
By: Naomi Karp, ABA Commission on Law and Aging; Erica F. Wood, American Bar Association | Source: AARP Public Policy Institute; ABA Commission on Law and Aging; American Bar Association
In Their Dreams: What Will Boomers Inherit?
The occurrence and expectation of inheritances by the baby boomer cohort are examined in this AARP Public Policy Institute Data Digest by John Gist and Carlos Figueiredo. While about one-fifth of boomer households have received inheritances, the study finds the inheritances are unlikely to have much impact on boomer retirement security. (10 pages)
June 1, 2006
By: John Gist, AARP Public Policy Institute; Carlos Figueiredo, AARP Public Policy Institute | Source: AARP Public Policy Institute
In Brief: Guardianship Monitoring: A National Survey of Court Practices
A succinct summary of the similarly titled AARP Public Policy Institute Report of a national survey in which Naomi Karp of AARP Public Policy Institute and Erica Wood of the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging explore current court practices in monitoring guardianships. (2 pages)
June 30, 2006
By: Naomi Karp, ABA Commission on Law and Aging; Erica F. Wood, American Bar Association | Source: AARP Public Policy Institute; ABA Commission on Law and Aging; American Bar Association
In Brief: Defending Your Financial Privacy: The Benefits and Limits of Self-Help
A succinct summary of the similarly titled AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper by Robert N. Mayer examining how consumers are coping with threats to their financial privacy. While individuals are taking significant actions to protect their privacy, they can't do it alone, the study finds, business and government need to educate the public, develop new privacy protection technologies, and offer credible, well-publicized programs that lower what it costs consumers to defend their privacy. (2 pages)
February 28, 2006
By: Robert N. Mayer, Ph.D., University of Utah; Sharon Hermanson, AARP Public Policy Institute | Source: AARP Public Policy Institute; University of Utah
In Brief: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Privacy Rule and Patient Access to Medical Records
This In Brief, based on the PPI Issue Paper of the same title, describes the provisions of the Privacy Rule of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) which grants patients access to their medical records (paper and electronic). (2 pages)
February 22, 2006
By: Joyce Dubow, M.U.P., AARP Public Policy Institute | Source: AARP Public Policy Institute
Defending Your Financial Privacy: The Benefits and Limits of Self-Help
Coping with threats to consumers’ financial privacy is examined in this AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper by Robert N. Mayer which concludes that while individuals are taking significant actions to protect their privacy, they can't do it alone, and that businesses and government bodies must become involved in educating the public, developing new privacy protection technologies, and offering credible, well-publicized programs that lower what it costs consumers to defend their privacy. (54 pages)
February 28, 2006
By: Robert N. Mayer, Ph.D., University of Utah | Source: AARP Public Policy Institute; University of Utah
What are the Effects of Managed Care on Adult Guardianship Agencies and Clients? A Focus Group Report
This AARP Public Policy Institute report by Erica F. Wood of the American Bar Association's Commission on Legal Problems of the Elderly summarizes focus group discussions conducted at the 1997 National Guardianship Association conference. (24 pages)
August 1, 1998
By: Erica F. Wood, American Bar Association | Source: AARP Public Policy Institute; American Bar Association
Solutions Forums
Saving Jobs in A Recession: How Work Sharing Can Help
Seventeen states have programs that use unemployment funds to keep workers on the job with reduced hours. Learn how federal and state policy can better promote these work-sharing programs--and how several European nations have implemented work-sharing.
The Auto IRA: Strategies for Successful Implementation
Experts from the US and abroad discussed how an Auto-IRA can improve retirement security; lessons from similar programs in New Zealand and the UK; and how the Auto-IRA can work well for workers, small business and the financial industry.
Protecting Your Home, Car and Investment Savings: How to Stop Financial Fraud
How fraud impacts financial security, especially for older Americans—and discussion of policy options for combating mortgage, auto sales and investment scams. Luncheon speaker SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro discussed the Commission’s priorities on financial fraud.
Getting it Right: Smart Housing and Transportation Planning for Livable Communities
This forum featured release of new research on preserving subsidized housing near transit and discussion of how to coordinate housing, transportation and land use policy to develop livable communities.
What Happened to My Social Security COLA?
Why no COLA is expected for 2010 and how this affects individuals and the states. Panelists include experts from the Social Security Administration, AARP, the National Governors Association and the Kaiser Family Foundation.
A New Look at Making Financial Decisions for Retirement
PPI released a series of new reports offering a fresh look at financial decisions related to retirement. Experts examined why many people make poor choices and explore how to improve the options available to retirees.
Fixing Chronic Care in America
National experts discussed problems facing millions of Americans with multiple chronic conditions, and explored potential solutions highlighted in a new PPI publication, Chronic Care: a Call to Action for Health Reform and in a new video Faces of Chronic Care.
AARP Public Policies
Learn about the policy development process at AARP. For a complete guide to AARP's positions on public issues, see The Policy Book, AARP Public Policies 2009-2010.
Center to Champion Nursing in America
The Center to Champion Nursing in America seeks to ensure Americans have the highly skilled nurses we need to provide affordable, quality health care. The Center serves as a consumer-driven, national force to increase the nation’s capacity to educate and retain nurses.
