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  Undue influence is the improper use of power or trust in a way that deprives a person of his or her free will and substitutes another’s in its place….

Wealth transfer takes place in many ways, some intended and some unintended. Traditionally, someone’s last will and testament was the ultimate expression of their final intent. Over the past few decades there has been a push to “avoid probate”, which works in some cases but can have surprising implications after death.

COVID-19 exacerbated the problem of elder financial abuse because elders were cut off from friends and family, community centers, and other interactions where people looked out for them. Perpetrators of financial elder abuse capitalized on this drop-off in oversight or checks and balances.