Trade Associations
Here's a look at documents from national and international trade associations
Featured Stories
CMS Identifies Functions Affected By Federal Government Shutdown
JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri, Feb. 4 -- The Missouri Hospital Association posted the following news:
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CMS Identifies Functions Affected By Federal Government Shutdown
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services provided a detailed memorandum issued Feb. 2, which identifies functions that (a) are not affected by a federal government shutdown, (b) excepted functions that are to be continued in the event of a shutdown (also referred to as "essential functions"), and (c) other activities that are directly affected, are not legally authorized to be performed and therefore should not be operational
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JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri, Feb. 4 -- The Missouri Hospital Association posted the following news:
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CMS Identifies Functions Affected By Federal Government Shutdown
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services provided a detailed memorandum issued Feb. 2, which identifies functions that (a) are not affected by a federal government shutdown, (b) excepted functions that are to be continued in the event of a shutdown (also referred to as "essential functions"), and (c) other activities that are directly affected, are not legally authorized to be performed and therefore should not be operationalduring a federal shutdown.
The memo also includes updates on state survey activity during the shutdown, ensuring that state survey agencies can continue their accreditation business as usual, with certain activities being unaffected.
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About Missouri Hospital Association
The Missouri Hospital Association is a nonprofit association in Jefferson City that represents 135 Missouri hospitals. In addition to representation and advocacy on behalf of its membership, the association offers continuing education programs on current healt
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Original text here: https://www.mohospitals.org/newsroom/cms-identifies-functions-affected-by-federal-government-shutdown
[Category: Health Care]
American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries: General Satisfaction With PBGC Programs, Services
ARLINGTON, Virginia, Feb. 4 -- The American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries issued the following news on Feb. 2, 2026:
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General Satisfaction With PBGC Programs, Services
The PBGC says in its 2025 Annual Report that there was general satisfaction with its services among plan sponsors, administrators, plan participants, and retirees.
By John Iekel
The purpose of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) is to provide security and stability for private-sector pension plans and those who depend on them. And its actions appear to resonate with those whom it serves.
That's
... Show Full Article
ARLINGTON, Virginia, Feb. 4 -- The American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries issued the following news on Feb. 2, 2026:
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General Satisfaction With PBGC Programs, Services
The PBGC says in its 2025 Annual Report that there was general satisfaction with its services among plan sponsors, administrators, plan participants, and retirees.
By John Iekel
The purpose of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) is to provide security and stability for private-sector pension plans and those who depend on them. And its actions appear to resonate with those whom it serves.
That'saccording to the PBGC in its 2025 Annual Report. It says that there is strong satisfaction among not only the plan sponsors and administrators whose plans are supported -- or could be -- by the PBGC, but also those whom those plans exist to serve; namely, plan participants and retirees. And by the PBGC's count, there are nearly 1.4 million current and future retirees in trusteed single-employer pension plans who rely on the PBGC for their pension benefits.
Regular Review
The 2025 Annual Report is not unique; the PBGC regularly reviews its activities. The 2025 report notes that every quarter, PBGC leadership discusses the agency's progress in operations, stewardship and accountability, customer satisfaction, and building and maintaining a model workplace.
The PBGC also conducts surveys; it says it relies on them in order to actively engage plan participants, identify opportunities for enhancement, refine its procedures, and assess satisfaction levels.
2025 Results
Following are highlights of results from the 2025 survey.
Premium filers. Pension plan sponsors and practitioners that filed PBGC premiums in 2025 gave the agency a satisfaction score of 76 out of 100.
Participants and retirees. Pension plan participants who participated in a PBGC phone survey registered an overall satisfaction rating of 79 out of 100 concerning the agency and its activities. Retirees receiving monthly payments from the PBGC were even happier with it, expressing satisfaction at a level of 86 out of 100.
Online account management. Pension plan practitioners evinced that they are happy with My Plan Administration Account (My PAA), the PBGC's online application that practitioners use to file premium information and submit payments. In fiscal year 2025, they registered a customer satisfaction score of 80 out of 100. The PBGC adds that the 2025 rating was five points higher than that of 2024.
And those who use My Pension Benefit Access (MyPBA), the secure online service through which participants manage their benefits, gave it a rating of 79 out of 100.
Reviews and Appeals
Participants and beneficiaries in trusteed single-employer plans may request that the PBGC's Appeals Board review PBGC determinations of their benefits; employers and plan sponsors may also lodge appeals of certain PBGC determinations.
The PBGC reports that in FY 2025, it closed more appeals than it opened. In FY 2025, the PBGC accepted 84 new appeals and closed 90.
The Big Picture
The statistics the PBGC reports suggest that its activities are consistent with its purpose, as well as the spirit in which they are intended.
PBGC Director Janet Dhillon, in her remarks about the 2025 Annual Report, said "Our commitment is to ensure that retirees and beneficiaries continue to receive their benefit payments accurately and without interruption." She continued, "PBGC's dedicated professionals have worked diligently to advance the agency's mission" and pledged that "Together, we will work to ensure that we continue to operate with transparency and excellence."
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Original text here: https://www.asppa-net.org/news/2026/2/general-satisfaction-with-pbgc-programs-services/
[Category: Human Resources/Personnel]
American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries: 401(k) Excessive Fee Suit Doesn't Proceed
ARLINGTON, Virginia, Feb. 4 -- The American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries issued the following news on Feb. 3, 2026:
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401(k) Excessive Fee Suit Doesn't Proceed
By Ted Godbout
In considering the impact of a Supreme Court decision on the burden of proof in a prohibited transaction suit, a federal judge found that the plaintiff had to first have standing to bring suit for that burden to shift.
The case was, in most respects, a traditional excessive fee suit -- with the plaintiffs pointing to funds that allegedly underperformed, recordkeeping and advisor fees that were excessive
... Show Full Article
ARLINGTON, Virginia, Feb. 4 -- The American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries issued the following news on Feb. 3, 2026:
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401(k) Excessive Fee Suit Doesn't Proceed
By Ted Godbout
In considering the impact of a Supreme Court decision on the burden of proof in a prohibited transaction suit, a federal judge found that the plaintiff had to first have standing to bring suit for that burden to shift.
The case was, in most respects, a traditional excessive fee suit -- with the plaintiffs pointing to funds that allegedly underperformed, recordkeeping and advisor fees that were excessiverelative to comparable alternatives, and advisor fiduciary breaches that also involved allegations of prohibited transactions, and a failure to monitor the activities of plan fiduciaries. All were dismissed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina.
On Sept. 9, 2024, the plaintiffs Donna Peeler and Kathleen Hanline, "individually and on behalf of the Bayada Home Health Care 401(k) Plan and all similarly situated participants and beneficiaries of the Plan" filed suit against the defendants Bayada Home Health Care, Inc., the Administrative Committee of the Plan, and the members of the Committee.
Prohibited Transaction
Among the allegations made -- and the one that specifically asserted that a prohibited transaction had occurred -- were agreements with UBS and Morgan Stanley for advisory services, which paid between $100,000 and $125,000 each year during the class period. The plaintiffs compiled two tables of alleged comparator plans that incurred lower advisory fees than the plan incurred -- and alleged that the payments to UBS and Morgan Stanley were "prohibited transactions" under 29 U.S.C. Sec. 1106 because they were "not for necessary services" and were "excessive in their amounts."
Here, Judge Martin Reidinger turned to the 2025 unanimous Supreme Court ruling in Cunningham v. Cornell University -- a ruling that placed the burden of proof in allegations of a prohibited transaction on the fiduciary defendants -- to basically establish that the exemptions to a prohibited transaction applied.
Regarding those advisory fees, Judge Reidinger (Peeler v. Bayada Home Health Care, Inc., 2026 BL 24739, W.D.N.C., No. 1:24-cv-00231, 1/27/26) explained that "the standard for a plausible imprudence claim based on alleged excessive advisory fees is the same as the standard regarding a claim based on alleged excessive recordkeeping fees" -- basically that it rests on a comparison of fees relative to services rendered, "or otherwise allege factors relevant to determining whether a fee is excessive under the circumstance." This the plaintiffs did not do, according to Reidinger.
He explained that "the Form 5500s on which the Plaintiffs rely to compare advisory fees contradict the Plaintiffs' allegations." He commented that 3 of the 11 alleged comparator plans incurred higher total advisory fees, under the same service codes and in the same year, than the plan did, and that "four of the remaining alleged comparator plans also present discrepancies with the information alleged..." What's more, he noted that those tables lacked the "context" necessary to support a meaningful comparison. And therefore, concluded that the plaintiffs failed to state a plausible claim on this count as well.
As for that burden of proof, Judge Reidinger noted that "despite seemingly lowering the pleading requirements for Sec. 1106 claims, the Cunningham Court nevertheless exhorted district courts to 'dismiss suits that allege a prohibited transaction occurred but fail to identify any injury.'"
He further explained that -- "relying on Cunningham, the District Court for the District of Massachusetts recently dismissed a prohibited transaction claim for lack of standing because the complaint 'point[ed] to no instance in which a tangible loss of value was actually incurred by [the plaintiff].'" Which, in Judge Reidinger's assessment was analogous to the situation here -- and, having not established a "constitutionally cognizable injury" -- found no standing to bring suit, and dismissed the prohibited transaction claim.
Fund 'Facts'
The suit also alleged that the committee and the committee members breached their duties to the members of the class in their choice of certain investment options and in their manner of contracting for certain services, and that Bayada, as the plan's sponsor, breached its duty to monitor the committee and the committee members. More specifically, the suit claims that from Jan. 1, 2018, through the date of judgment, "they suffered financial losses as a result of excessive fees and investment underperformance,[1] and that those losses are attributable to mismanagement of the Plan by the Defendants."
There were specific funds in question here -- and since neither of these two plaintiffs had invested in the JP Morgan Large Cap Growth Fund A Class -- neither had standing to bring suit. And, as it turns out, only plaintiff Peeler[2] had invested in the T. Rowe Price New Horizons Fund -- and that only beginning in 2020 -- many of the allegations in the suit prior to the commencement of the class period, according to Judge Martin Reidinger.
But while he found substance in the specific allegations enumerated, he determined that "...those allegations fail individually and collectively to support a reasonable inference that Plaintiff Peeler suffered a non-speculative financial loss traceable to the T. Rowe Price New Horizons Fund."
He further noted that the management charge, the explicit costs, the manager's compensation, and the manager's lack of experience, "without more, do not enable the Court to draw a reasonable inference that Plaintiff Peeler's account suffered a loss."
He noted that all similar funds have expense ratios, costs, and managers of varying experience receiving compensation, and the relationship between risk and reward is an "inadequate basis for inferring that the alleged excessive risk resulted in actual, non-speculative losses during the Class Period." Ditto increased portfolio turnover, which he said, "does not raise a plausible inference that increased turnover produced better or worse actual, non-speculative returns."
Ultimately, Judge Reidinger noted that the plaintiffs "fail to allege any facts from which it can be inferred that the Defendants were unjustly enriched by their alleged breaches of the fiduciary duty of prudence with regard to the selection and monitoring of Plan funds." He went on to note that "nowhere do the Plaintiffs provide nonconclusory factual allegations that the Defendants reaped any profits, unjust or otherwise, from the alleged breaching conduct" -- and concluded that the plaintiffs here lacked standing to seek any monetary relief related to the fund selection/retention.
Recordkeeping Review
The suit also cites the indirect and direct costs of Prudential's recordkeeping services averaged $117 per Bayada participant. It notes that in 2022, the plan's revenue-sharing costs averaged $36 per participant, and that that year, the revenue-sharing payments derived from the JP Morgan Large Cap Growth Fund A Class ($171,551) accounted for almost half of the total revenue-sharing payments ($364,035) the plan directed to Prudential.
As for the recordkeeping allegations, Judge Reidinger found that the comparator plans put forth by the plaintiffs were not, in fact, comparable, based even on the service flags on Form 5500. "The Plaintiffs nowhere explain this discrepancy or allege any facts that could help resolve it. Instead, the Plaintiffs argue that such explanations are not required at this stage of litigation." He also found that assertions regarding a failure to solicit bids for recordkeeping fees "do not, standing alone, support a plausible imprudence claim," dismissing those counts in the suit as well.
Judge Reidinger quickly then concluded that the plaintiffs "nonconclusory allegations" included "no facts meaningfully independent of their allegations in support of their imprudence claim," dismissing it. He also commented that their only allegations regarding co-fiduciary liability restate the elements of Sec. 1105 -- insufficient to state a claim for relief, "and because the Court has dismissed the Plaintiffs' claims that the Defendants violated their duties of prudence and loyalty, the Court concludes that the Plaintiffs have failed to state a plausible claim for relief under Sec. 1105."
Furthermore, having dismissed the foregoing complaints, Judge Reidinger was not inclined to see a breach of the duty to monitor fiduciary activities, nor did he find the lack of specificity in claims sufficient to support claims of a prohibited transaction with a party in interest (he also noted discrepancies in what the plaintiffs alleged with regard to comparability of the plans that ostensibly used an advisor).
What This Means
While it has been previously noted (feared?) that the Cunningham decision might open wider the floodgates of ERISA litigation,[3] it's worth bearing in mind that the Supreme Court's ruling on burden of proof falling on fiduciary defendants was (only) in instances involving a prohibited transaction -- basically dealings with parties in interest that could be seen on their face as having the potential for a conflict of interest that would require an exemption.
The more basic element here was the need to have suffered an injury as a necessary predicate to bringing suit in the first place. Said another way, a plaintiff has to establish that they have suffered a specific injury before they have the right to bring suit in the first place.
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Footnotes:
[1] The Plaintiffs allege that the Committee's selection of the JP Morgan Large Cap Growth Fund A Class for inclusion in the Plan in 2021 was imprudent, as it was said to be "identical" to the JP Morgan Large Cap Growth Fund R6 Class, except that the R6 class has an expense ratio that is fifty basis points lower than the A class's expense ratio. However, the judgement notes that neither Plaintiff invested in the JP Morgan Large Cap Growth Fund A Class. The suit also states that the Committee selected the T. Rowe Price New Horizons Fund for inclusion in the Plan in 2013, and that at that time, the fund had been underperforming for a long period of time (27 years), but the Committee selected and retained the fund anyway. The suit alleges that the fund's management charged seventy-nine basis points regardless of performance, resulting in management costs of $758,612.42 during the Class Period. Then in 2019, a new, "untested" manager began managing the T. Rowe Price fund, and he increased the fund's turnover rate, such that 53% of the holdings the new manager bought were sold in 2023 - bringing with it higher transaction costs, in addition to the 0.79% management fee, thus potentially negatively impacting the fund's overall performance. Plaintiff Peeler invested in the T. Rowe Price New Horizons Fund in 2020, but Plaintiff Hanline was not invested in this fund at any time during the Class Period.
[2] Beyond that, Judge Reidinger explained that plaintiff Peeler "never alleges that she suffered an actual loss as a result of her investment in the T. Rowe Price fund," but rather just offered "a conclusory allegation that '[a]s a result of the Defendants' mismanagement of the Plan and violations of ERISA, Peeler was subject to excessive fees and underperformance and, as such, suffered financial losses.'" Judge Reidinger said more was needed -- "without the support of additional factual allegations, the Court cannot infer that Plaintiff Peeler's conclusory allegation regarding financial losses includes losses suffered because of her investment in the T. Rowe Price fund."
"Accordingly, because Plaintiff Hanline never invested in the T. Rowe Price New Horizons Fund, and because Plaintiff Peeler cannot establish an injury due to her investment in that fund, the Plaintiffs lack standing to seek monetary damages pursuant to their selection and monitoring claim based on that fund."
[3] In fairness, even some of the Justices that signed on to the unanimous decision expressed this concern.
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Original text here: https://www.asppa-net.org/news/2026/2/401k-excessive-fee-suit-doesnt-proceed/
[Category: Human Resources/Personnel]
Alliance Statement on the House Energy & Commerce Oversight Hearing on Medicare and Medicaid Fraud
ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, Feb. 4 -- The National Alliance for Care at Home issued the following statement on Feb. 3, 2026:
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Alliance Statement on the House Energy & Commerce Oversight Hearing on Medicare and Medicaid Fraud
Building on the Alliance's longstanding advocacy for targeted, effective program integrity
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The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) supports strong, targeted efforts to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse across federal healthcare programs. Program integrity is essential to protecting patients, taxpayers, and the sustainability of Medicare and Medicaid. At the
... Show Full Article
ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, Feb. 4 -- The National Alliance for Care at Home issued the following statement on Feb. 3, 2026:
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Alliance Statement on the House Energy & Commerce Oversight Hearing on Medicare and Medicaid Fraud
Building on the Alliance's longstanding advocacy for targeted, effective program integrity
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The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) supports strong, targeted efforts to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse across federal healthcare programs. Program integrity is essential to protecting patients, taxpayers, and the sustainability of Medicare and Medicaid. At thesame time, the testimony today made it clear that Medicare, Medicaid, and home care services are not anomalies in the health care space. Fraudsters seek to exploit vulnerabilities in every healthcare program and payment source due to the substantial resources spent on health services, and home care services are no different. We encourage Congress to approach crushing fraud in collaboration with the Alliance and our members as we are committed to rooting out bad actors in our space to preserve services for those who need them most.
The Alliance has been actively engaged on these issues and, in late 2025, submitted detailed recommendations to CMS outlining data-driven, risk-based strategies to strengthen program integrity in Medicare home health and hospice. Those recommendations focused on targeting bad actors while preserving access to care and minimizing unnecessary burden for compliant providers. This 2025 letter builds on years of active advocacy from the Alliance and its legacy organizations, beginning in 2019, to ensure that the ideals at the heart of these care models are upheld in the practice of care.
Similarly, the Alliance collaborates with our members and state-level organizations to strengthen service delivery at the state level. We believe that there are opportunities to strengthen fraud mitigation activities within Medicaid programs. We are proactively developing recommendations to address fraud in Medicaid-funded home care services and look forward to collaborating with Congress and the Administration to implement these safeguards.
As policymakers consider next steps following today's hearing, it is critical that oversight strategies remain focused on risk-based enforcement--identifying and removing fraudulent entities without undermining legitimate providers delivering high-quality care in the home. We also believe that it is essential to highlight the distinction between legitimate home and community-based services (HCBS) and fraudulent activity, the value of these services and supports, and the reasons why it is appropriate to pay for this care. For example, some of the discussions and lines of questioning broadly framed personal care and self-directed services in a negative light. It is important to remember that these services are crucial components of promoting health, safety, and community integration for older adults and people with disabilities. The Administration and Congress must carefully craft responses that target fraud and do not negatively impact legitimate providers of care or access to services. Home-based care plays a vital role in improving outcomes, reducing hospitalizations, and supporting individual choice. Any program integrity reforms should protect access to these services for the individuals and families who rely on them.
The Alliance stands ready to serve as a resource to policymakers as these discussions continue and is committed to collaborating on solutions that strengthen accountability while maintaining access to care at home.
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About the National Alliance for Care at Home
The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) is the leading authority in transforming care in the home. As an inclusive thought leader, advocate, educator, and convener, we serve as the unifying voice for providers and recipients of home care, home health, hospice, palliative care, and Medicaid home and community-based services throughout all stages of life. Learn more at www.AllianceForCareAtHome.org.
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Original text here: https://allianceforcareathome.org/alliance-statement-on-the-house-energy-commerce-oversight-hearing-on-medicare-and-medicaid-fraud/
[Category: Health Care]
Air Line Pilots Association International: Congress Ends Shutdown, Passes Landmark Aviation Safety Bill With Key Pilot Provisions
MCLEAN, Virginia, Feb. 4 -- The Air Line Pilots Association International issued the following statement on Feb. 3, 2026:
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Congress Ends Shutdown, Passes Landmark Aviation Safety Bill with Key Pilot Provisions
Today, Capt. Jason Ambrosi, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA), issued the following statement after Congress passed a critical spending package that included funding for the Department of Transportation and our nation's aviation system:
"We thank Congress for ending the recent government shutdown and passing this vital appropriations package that strengthens
... Show Full Article
MCLEAN, Virginia, Feb. 4 -- The Air Line Pilots Association International issued the following statement on Feb. 3, 2026:
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Congress Ends Shutdown, Passes Landmark Aviation Safety Bill with Key Pilot Provisions
Today, Capt. Jason Ambrosi, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA), issued the following statement after Congress passed a critical spending package that included funding for the Department of Transportation and our nation's aviation system:
"We thank Congress for ending the recent government shutdown and passing this vital appropriations package that strengthensaviation safety and supports the piloting profession while providing significant resources for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to upgrade aging technology and increase air traffic controller hiring.
"We are grateful that Congress recognized the urgency of this situation and acted swiftly to pass this important bill. This legislation represents a significant step forward for our industry and the flying public and includes essential provisions that ALPA has long championed:
* Directing the FAA to ensure a minimum of two qualified, fully rested pilots on commercial airline flight decks at all times.
* Providing additional resources to improve the FAA's aeromedical process, reduce the backlog of pilot and controller medical certificates, and offer new flexibility to hire and retain skilled medical professionals for these purposes.
* Urging the Department of Transportation to review its outdated Statement of International Air Transportation Policy, internal guidance that in the past has been used to justify detrimental labor policy for international aviation, including air service agreements, joint ventures, and licensing cases.
In addition, the appropriations package delivers critical funding for the National Mediation Board, including for mediators, which promotes collective bargaining in the airline and rail industries.
Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents more than 80,000 pilots, at 42 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @ALPAPilots.
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Original text here: https://www.alpa.org/press-room/2026/02/congress-ends-shutdown-passes-landmark-aviation-safety-bill-with-key-pilot-provisions
[Category: Transportation]
ASA Applauds USDA-WFP Food for Peace Agreement
ST. LOUIS, Missouri, Feb. 4 -- The American Soybean Association issued the following news release on Feb. 3, 2026:
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ASA Applauds USDA-WFP Food for Peace Agreement
Today, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a new agreement with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to deliver up to $452 million in assistance under the Food for Peace (FFP) program. An interagency agreement signed in December between USDA and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) authorized USDA to carry out emergency food assistance under the program.
"ASA has long supported
... Show Full Article
ST. LOUIS, Missouri, Feb. 4 -- The American Soybean Association issued the following news release on Feb. 3, 2026:
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ASA Applauds USDA-WFP Food for Peace Agreement
Today, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a new agreement with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to deliver up to $452 million in assistance under the Food for Peace (FFP) program. An interagency agreement signed in December between USDA and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) authorized USDA to carry out emergency food assistance under the program.
"ASA has long supportedefforts to move the Food for Peace program to USDA's jurisdiction," ASA President and Ohio soybean farmer Scott Metzger stated. "We applaud today's announcement between USDA and WFP. U.S. soybean farmers play an important role in helping to feed the world alongside other American-grown commodities, and we are glad that our crops will help feed the most vulnerable populations around the world."
ASA looks forward to continuing to support USDA efforts to combat global hunger by ensuring high-quality, high-protein U.S. soybeans and products made with them remain a key component of international food assistance programs.
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Original text here: https://soygrowers.com/news-releases/asa-applauds-usda-wfp-food-for-peace-agreement/
[Category: Agriculture]
AARP: Romance Scams Put Millions of Adults 50-plus at Risk - Here is What You Need to Know
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (TNSrpt) -- AARP issued the following news release:
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Romance Scams Put Millions of Adults 50-plus at Risk: Here is What You Need to Know
New AARP research highlights growing financial and emotional threats for older adults and offers guidance to help people protect themselves
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Romance scams are on the rise, and new research from AARP shows millions of older adults are being targeted online. Nearly 1 in 10 adults age 50 and older - that's 11 million Americans -- have made what they believed to be a romantic connection online and were ultimately asked for financial help
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (TNSrpt) -- AARP issued the following news release:
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Romance Scams Put Millions of Adults 50-plus at Risk: Here is What You Need to Know
New AARP research highlights growing financial and emotional threats for older adults and offers guidance to help people protect themselves
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Romance scams are on the rise, and new research from AARP shows millions of older adults are being targeted online. Nearly 1 in 10 adults age 50 and older - that's 11 million Americans -- have made what they believed to be a romantic connection online and were ultimately asked for financial helpor encouraged to invest in cryptocurrency, leading to often severe financial and emotional distress.
Adults ages 50 to 64 are especially at risk, receiving fake solicitations at more than double the rate of those 65 and older (13 percent versus 5 percent). About 16 percent of adults 50 and older, roughly 1 in 6, say they or someone they know has had money stolen through a romance scam.
"Romance scams can affect anyone. Smart, financially stable, socially active adults are all targets. Being informed, knowing the warning signs, and reporting suspicious activity are the best ways to protect yourself and your money," said Amy Nofziger, Senior Director of Victim Support, Fraud Watch Network.
Despite the scale of the problem, reporting remains low. According to our survey, more than half (55 percent) of adults who lost money said they never reported it, and among those who do report, only 26% go to law enforcement and 23% contact their bank or credit union--indicating major gaps in consumer reporting pathways.
Most adults believe they would report a loss--90% say they would--but actual reporting behavior shows a vast disconnect that leaves criminals unchallenged.
Nearly half of adults 50 and older (45 percent) say they are not knowledgeable about romance scam tactics. Shame, along with misconceptions about victims such as being too trusting or lonely, is the primary reason people don't report, leaving criminals free to operate.
Where Criminals Operate
* Nearly one in 10 adults ages 50 and older (9%) have had an online romantic connection in which the person asked for money or cryptocurrency, with adults ages 50 to 64 twice as exposed as those 65 and older.
* About one in six say they or someone they know has lost money in a romance scam.
* The majority of respondents said they met the person on a dating app or social media.
* Reporting is low: Among those who lost money, 55% did not report the loss anywhere.
* Knowledge gap: Forty-five percent of adults 50 and older say they are not knowledgeable about romance scam tactics.
Ways to Protect Yourself
* If you realize that a relationship is a lie, stop contact immediately and save everything connected to the crime, such as messages and receipts.
* Report the crime to local law enforcement or the FBI's IC3.gov.
* Contact your financial institution to see if there is any way to get your money back.
* Call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time for guidance and support.
Learn More
For more information and resources to avoid romance scams, visit aarp.org/romancescams2026
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About the AARP Fraud Watch Network
Launched in 2013, the AARP Fraud Watch Network is a free resource for people of all ages. Consumers can sign up for Watchdog Alerts by email or text, call the free helpline at 877-908-3360 to report scams or seek support, and access tools to track scams nationwide. The program also provides expert insights, prevention tips, and education to help individuals safeguard their finances and identities.
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REPORT: https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/research/topics/social-leisure/relationships/romance-scams-survey-methodology.doi.10.26419-2fres.01041.002.pdf
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Original text here: https://www.aarp.org/press/releases/2026-02-03-Romance-Scams-2026/
[Category: Sociological]
