Pay Dirt is Slate’s money advice column. Have a question? Send it to Kristin and Ilyce here. (It’s anonymous!)

Dear Pay Dirt,

My brother “Derek” is a complete scumbag. He has at least six kids by five different women (that I know of), none of whom he has ever paid a dime of child support to. He has manipulated our mother into paying his way through life. Our mother is now 80, and her cognitive abilities are clearly not what they were even a year ago. She still thinks Derek can do no wrong—a fact that Derek is eager to take advantage of.

He is using her as his own personal ATM machine now more than ever. Any attempts by me to try to persuade my mom to halt the gravy train only result in her becoming upset and breaking down in tears. How can I protect her from my leech of a brother?

—Seething Sister

Dear Seething,

I’m sorry you’re dealing with this situation. It’s painful to watch someone you love be manipulated, and I’m sure it’s hurtful to see your brother take advantage of your mother’s declining health. If her cognitive decline is noticeable, it might be worth scheduling a routine memory checkup with her doctor. You might also want to talk to an elder law attorney about your options. They can help assess whether she’s still competent to make financial decisions, and if not, they’ll guide you through important steps to make sure her finances are protected. This might include establishing power of attorney or looking into a guardianship to protect her assets. I know that might sound extreme, but if your brother is financially exploiting her, this could be an option to keep her from being used like an ATM. At the very least, an attorney can help you understand your options.

Ideally, you’ll want to loop your mom in on this, and that’s going to be a very delicate conversation. The best approach is to frame your concern around protecting her finances, and not criticizing your brother. Focus on the big picture. For example, you might say something like, “Mom, I want to make sure everything with your money is set up the way you want, in case anything unexpected happens. Would you be open to talking to someone with me?”

In the meantime, maybe start documenting any patterns of emotional manipulation, questionable financial behavior, or signs of decline. This way, you have a clear record if you need to make a case with an elder law attorney. It’s heartbreaking that trying to intervene makes her upset, but unfortunately, that’s often the trap with manipulative people: they weaponize loyalty so their actions can’t be questioned. You’re doing the right thing by trying to look out for your mom, even if it does feel like an uphill battle.

Dear Pay Dirt,

I have managed to save about $4,000 for emergencies. I know it’s not much, but it’s taken me a long time and a lot of willpower. Currently, it’s linked to the debit card/checking account that’s used for my direct deposit from my employer. Although I do spend from this account, I always leave it at $4,000 (and I have another account that I use for household expenses). As all my savings is in a checking account, I realize it’s not earning any interest. I’m considering taking some of that money (maybe about $1,000) and putting it into a high-yield savings account, but admittedly, I don’t know much about the process or what to look for, other than a high APY. I’ve done some preliminary research online, but it’s left me with more questions than answers. Ideally, I would like to use this HYSA to be something of a nest egg or possibly a jumping off point to save for home repairs and a new(er) car. Is this the best way to do this? Or … should I just stuff it all into a mattress?

—Mattress Stuffer

Dear Mattress,

First of all, saving $4,000 is a huge win! You have every reason to feel proud—it takes grit and discipline to build that kind of cushion, especially when you’re stretched thin with everyday expenses. And yes, having that money easily accessible in a checking account makes some sense—but you’re smart to start thinking about how to make it work a little better for you.
Moving it into a high-yield savings account (HYSA) is a great next step, and it shouldn’t be that complicated. For those who might not know, these are accounts that typically earn significantly more interest than traditional savings or checking accounts (currently, they’re at around 3.6 percent or more annual yield). It’s basically a standard bank account, but with a better interest rate. They’re still low-risk, liquid, and FDIC-insured. That means your money is safe, accessible, and earning interest passively. You just can’t connect it directly to a debit card.

You might want to look for a HYSA at a bank that also offers checking accounts (SoFi is a solid option). That way, you can connect the two accounts quickly and easily. Here’s a comparison of other banks that offer HYSAs. When choosing, look for a HYSA with no minimum balance requirements, no monthly maintenance fees, and a good reputation for customer service. Sites like Nerdwallet or Bankrate can help you compare options.

No need to stuff your funds under a mattress, especially because HYSAs are pretty standard and a safe bet. Since the money in them is accessible with a simple transfer to a checking account, you can feel comfortable putting your whole emergency fund into one. You’ve done the hard part by saving—now it’s time to make your money work a little harder for you.

—Kristin

Have a question? Send it to Kristin and Ilyce here.