Senior Situations: 4 Tips to Help You Survive a Financial Crisis

Most seniors are on a fixed income, and that will make it very difficult to deal with a financial crisis. From unexpected injuries to household disasters, older adults could find themselves drowning in debt in the blink of an eye. Here are a few tips and tricks that will help seniors survive a financial crisis.

Start with an Emergency Fund

Older adults need to have some type of emergency that they can access at any time. As a general rule, your emergency fund should be able to cover all of your expenses for at least three months. 

If you have people who depend on you financially, then you should try to build an emergency fund that will cover all living expenses for six months or longer. That fund will give you plenty of time to reorganize your finances after an accident or injury occurs.

Downsize

A senior who is on a fixed income never wants to get too far behind on their bills, and you should consider downsizing if your monthly expenses are beginning to overwhelm you. Living in a larger home or driving a new car might be impractical luxurious once you retire. Moving into a condo and downgrading to a used car could end up saving you thousands a year.

Search for Assistance Programs

There are hundreds of assistance programs for older adults who are struggling with their finances. In addition to state and federal programs, you might also want to contact AARP to discuss their Daily Money Management (DMM) programs. 




Those programs can help a senior create a budget, pay bills, and negotiate with creditors. They also offer classes on how to avoid scams and what to do if you are being harassed by aggressive debt collectors.

Contact an Attorney

If the financial crisis was caused by another party, then you need to contact personal injury lawyer to explore your legal options. Trying to win a civil case on your own is going to be nearly impossible, and an experienced lawyer can help you get the compensation that you deserve. Your legal representative will also negotiate with insurance representatives if your claim never makes it to court.

Racking up credit card debt is never ideal, but a credit card could be your last line of defense against a financial catastrophe. Once you are back on your feet and things have begun to stabilize, you should aggressively pay down your credit card debt in order to avoid huge late penalties and unmanageable interest rates.