Janus Henderson Investors has formed an exclusive partnership with Wayne State University to help financial advisers protect older adult investors from financial exploitation.

This is the first time Wayne State has collaborated with an asset manager on programming specifically dedicated to combatting financial exploitation, a growing problem for older adults who are becoming more vulnerable in the internet age. FBI data reveals that in 2021, there were $5.6 billion in losses from internet fraud alone. Janus Henderson and Wayne State hope to help protect more investors by extending education on the topic and providing useful tools to financial advisors.

Peter Lichtenberg, Ph.D., is the director of is the director of the university's Institute of Gerontology and a professor of psychology. The institute is the nation’s largest interdisciplinary organization dedicated to the field of aging. Lichtenberg is a national expert in financial capacity assessment and financial exploitation of older adults.The partnership will leverage the extensive resources of Wayne State's Institute of Gerontology and Janus Henderson’s strong relationships in the financial sector.

“We are thrilled to partner with Janus and Dr. Matt Sommer," said Lichtenberg. :Financial advisors have a crucial role to play in helping to prevent their older clients from becoming victims of financial exploitation.”

The program will feature educational presentations for financial advisors and their clients by Janus Henderson’s specialist consultants, and other tools and resources that advisors can use to educate their clients and assess their vulnerability.

“Cognitive decline presents a unique risk to aging investors that has yet to be addressed by the financial services industry," said Matt Sommer, Ph.D., the head of the special consulting group for Janus Henderson Investors. "We’re proud to partner with Wayne State University and Dr. Lichtenberg to create more security for a sometimes-vulnerable group of clients. Financial exploitation has grown in recent years and hopefully this new endeavour can curb some of the massive losses incurred by victims who often have little means of replacing their stolen assets.”

Visit Janus Henderson's website, found here, for more information.