If you thought the SEC and FINRA were serious about elder issues, welcome to the Alabama, Indiana and Vermont. Each has focused on elder abuse issues.

These states will have mandatory reporting to state officials in instances involving the disabled or those over 65 years of age. They will also allow advisors to cease disbursing funds from clients and providing advisors with immunity associated with doing so. So what does this all mean?

For one, states are starting to run on the coattails of federal regulators who have made elder issues an examination priority in recent years. In addition, such state laws should be a wake-up call for brokerage and advisory firms who service elder clients.

The actions of these states should force you to ask yourself; what is my firm doing to prevent, detect and report elder abuse. Although a FINRA proposed rule does not require reporting, its goal is the same because it would allow advisors to designate a third-party to who they can inform of suspected problems.

In the absence of reporting requirements, firms should consider having clients aged 65 or above designate a trusted family member or friend when the advisor suspects that the client may be the subject of some abusive conduct. At that point, you may have a group approach to address suspected abuse.

Firms may also want to consider requiring these elder clients to designate a trusted family member or friend to receive copies of account statements. This way, someone who is “independent” can check an account for irregular activity as well.

Whether you are required to address elder abuse or not, firms should make sure that they are taking special care with their elder clients. Federal regulators and now states are focused on the issue. Are you doing anything to make sure your firm does not get into an elder abuse nightmare?