US retirees should not trust these 5 people. Keep them away in 2026 (and beyond)

Core Insights - The article highlights the vulnerability of retirees to exploitative individuals and practices, emphasizing the need for caution in financial dealings as they may be targeted by various predatory entities. Group 1: Predatory Lenders - Predatory lenders utilize complex credit products such as home equity agreements and reverse mortgages, which can take advantage of unsuspecting retirees [2][3] - The Senate Special Committee on Aging and organizations like the GAO and AARP have investigated how older Americans are targeted by subprime and home-equity lenders, often leading to unfavorable refinancing and high-cost loans [3] Group 2: Pushy Salespeople - Older adults are particularly susceptible to aggressive sales tactics, as they are often perceived as financially better off and more trusting [4] - A report by the Senate Finance Committee indicated that insurance companies have significantly increased spending on brokers to promote Medicare Advantage plans, which are aggressively marketed to older adults and are more profitable for insurers [5]