42 For dentists, veterinarians, physicians, optometrists, and other health care providers interested in running or expanding their own practices, Wells Fargo Practice Finance provides specialized financing and resources — such as planning tools and project management support — to help them buy, equip, and refinance those practices . Protecting aging and dependent adults The U .S . Census Bureau projects that by 2034, older adults (those 65 and older) will outnumber kids (those 18 and under) for the first time in U .S . history . As America ages, we recognize that the risk of financial fraud and exploitation will grow . Aging and dependent adults often rely on others to assist or direct them in their financial affairs, and that makes them more vulnerable to the risk of fraudulent schemes or undue influence . At Wells Fargo, we’re concerned about financial abuse of aging and dependent adults, and we’ve made dedicated efforts to combat the issue . In 2019, we established the Aging Client Services center of excellence that focuses on: • Guiding best practices and procedures for preventing, detecting, reporting, and responding to financial exploitation . • Building awareness through education and advocacy . • Championing legislation and regulation to advance elder protection efforts . • Harnessing companywide data to inform risks and opportunities . • Assisting with the development of new products and services that enhance the experience of older adults and their families . Additionally, our Elder and Dependent Adult Financial Abuse Policy outlines our employees’ responsibility to understand and identify warning signs, flag unusual activity reports, and report suspected abuse . The U .S . financial system has numerous protections for customer privacy and rules designed for the prompt execution of financial orders . But older clients and other vulnerable adults are still confronted with constant and ever-changing efforts by criminals to unlawfully take their savings . We support systems and laws that provide exceptions to privacy laws and permit financial institutions to temporarily execute holds that, along with other mechanisms, can prevent or mitigate the harm of suspected elder financial abuse . Helping students manage their money Through CollegeSTEPS ®, a website we created to help college students manage their money, students can access planning and educational resources on topics such as paying for college, finding scholarships, understanding credit, getting ready for school, and managing and earning money while in school . Making informed decisions enables students to responsibly manage their debt, before it can become a hardship in the future .