TIAA’s Legal Team + Opt-Inspire: A Partnership to Protect Seniors & Families

We’ve been sharing some exciting updates lately, from our new partnership with Wake Forest Law to our day with Microsoft’s Tax team. Today, we’re proud to introduce another valued partner we added earlier this year: the Legal team at TIAA.

Protecting families from fraud takes more than awareness. It takes professionals who are willing to roll up their sleeves, and TIAA’s Legal team has done exactly that as a volunteer partner of Opt-Inspire.

How it came together

The partnership grew from a longtime professional relationship. Our founder, Alexandria (Lexi) Lutz, and Brittni Pickering, Associate General Counsel, Global Employment and Benefits Law, are former Extended Stay America colleagues, and Brittni graciously invited Opt-Inspire to train the TIAA Legal team earlier this year.

The training

We spent time with a room of legal professionals who care about protecting people. We covered:

• How to talk to seniors about common scams. Clear, respectful language works better than fear or jargon.

• How to prevent fraud. The warning signs, and the habits that stop a scam before it starts.

• How to protect personal data and financial resources. Practical steps that put people back in control.

• What to do when a loved one pushes back. Resistant or defensive family members are among the hardest conversations, so we shared ways to approach them with patience and empathy.

Already making an impact

The TIAA Legal team didn’t stop at the training. They took the initiative to volunteer and have already presented to groups across the Charlotte area, including at the Tyvola Senior Center and multiple senior living communities. Opt-Inspire has roots in the Charlotte community, so it’s especially meaningful to see our message carried forward there. We’re grateful for their time, expertise, and energy.

What’s next: protecting children from the AI age

Our partnership is continuing. Together, we’ve begun discussing a new focus: protecting children from the scarier side of AI.

We’ll start with parents, because informed parents are a child’s first line of defense. Our work will help families understand:

• What to look out for as AI changes how children can be targeted and deceived online

• Their rights, and the protections available to them

• What to do, practically, to keep their children safer

There’s more to come on this, so stay tuned.

A heartfelt thank you

Thank you to the TIAA Legal team, and to Brittni for opening the door. Opt-Inspire is a growing nonprofit, and partners like these are the reason our message keeps reaching new communities. We’re enjoying sharing all of this with you, and there’s more coming soon.

Want to get involved?

• Volunteer to present, mentor, or support our outreach

• Invite us to train your team or speak to your community group

• Share our resources with someone you care about