Problems managing money—missed mortgage or tax payments, unpaid and unopened bills, for instance—are often early indications of cognitive decline you may notice in a loved one. It also may signal that your parents or loved one needs help managing their finances. Other behaviors to watch for, according to the National Institute on Aging, include:

• Lots of new purchases on a credit card
• Unusual new merchandise
• Money is missing from the person’s bank account

Also, watch for signs that your loved one has been scammed or financially abused. They may include:

• Signatures on checks or papers that don’t look like the person’s signature
• A will that has been changed without permission
• The sale of your loved one’s home, even though they didn’t agree to sell it.
• Signatures on legal papers (a will, power of attorney, or joint deed to a house), even though the person didn’t understand what they were signing
• Missing items—clothes or jewelry, for example

  Learn more:

• Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/educator-tools/resources-for-older-adults/financial-security-as-you-age/planning-for-diminished-capacity-and-illness/)
• Bank of America (https://bettermoneyhabits.bankofamerica.com/en/saving-budgeting/aging-parents-finances)