A recent study found that 15% of seniors in the US are living in poverty.  Women and people of color who are seniors have an even higher percentage of living in poverty.  As an increasing number of Baby Boomers face retirement in the next 20 years, today is a good time to start thinking about the ways that we can all help those people that will face their older years having to struggle with poverty and in many cases homelessness and hunger.

Social security is one of the few programs available which help seniors avoid extreme poverty.  However, seniors may be surprised to find that there are many programs out there which help to maximize seniors' income.  To see a list of these programs visit: Maximizing Income for Seniorsadmin-ajax

For seniors that need to get credit, many experience difficulties getting this because of their age.  This guide from the Federal Trade Commission provides information and tips on how to get credit if you are over the age of 62.  Seniors that own a home may look into getting a home equity line of credit.  However, because your home is a collateral for the line of credit, you must be sure that you can make the payments or you could lose your home.  As a result, seniors should carefully consult with their banks, family members, and financial planner to determine if this is the best option. 

Lastly, as you get older, this means the need for medical care also increases.  As a result, seniors are especially vulnerable to suffering from medical debt.  There are steps you can do to prevent and fix medical debt.  This guide can help you understand common billing problems faced by uninsured and underinsured patients, how to get financial assistance with hospital bills, how to deal with collection agencies, and what to do when patients are sued for medical debt.