10 Financial Resources for Seniors10 Financial Resources for Seniors

Life after retirement is great. You have so much more time at your disposal than you ever did during all your working years. All that stuff you wanted to do but never had the energy for after a long day of work is finally within reach.

The obvious downside is, of course, that you won’t have that paycheck coming in each month. For most people, the tradeoff of having more free time means having less money to spend month to month. Unless you’re lucky, an especially good planner, or someone who held out on retiring for longer than usual, your retirement savings and social security are likely to add up to less each month than what you were used to getting during your working years.

For some seniors, that means you need to develop more frugal habits. For others though, the difference could be stark enough that you need to turn to outside help.

Luckily, a number of organizations and government agencies provide financial resources for seniors in need. Here are a few of your options.

  1. USA.gov

A lot of people qualify for government benefits they never take advantage of because they just don’t know they’re there to begin with. USA.gov makes it easy to search and browse the types of assistance available from the government. The website includes categories like food assistance, affordable housing, social security, help with bills, and grants and loans.

If you’re having a hard time making ends meet, you may find you qualify for some government assistance that makes getting through each month a little easier.

  1. Benefits Check Up

The National Council on Aging’s Benefits Check Up site provides a similar service, but makes the search process a little more focused on your particular situation. Instead of browsing what’s out there, you start by providing a few details about yourself and your specific needs, then the website will help you identify what resources are available in your area that can help you meet those needs.

The Benefits Check Up website is designed specifically with seniors in mind, so it’s pretty intuitive and makes the process of finding the benefits you qualify for as easy as possible. To date, it has helped over 5 million people get over $16 billion in aid.

  1. Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement

On average, women outlive men by five to ten years. Mostly, a longer life can be seen as a good thing. But if a woman retires at roughly the same time as a man, after having met the same savings goal, then her calculations won’t add up right. She’ll end up with less money per year during retirement than her male counterparts.

WISER, the Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement, recognizes the unique financial challenges that face women and thus seeks to help out women specifically. They provide a number of educational resources and do advocacy work to help bring attention to the economic challenges faced by senior women.

  1. National Council on Aging’s Economic Security Programs

The National Council on Aging provides a number of programs for seniors, including several focused on helping seniors achieve financial health during retirement. Their programs cover a few key subjects that can help seniors get through their retirement years with fewer financial concerns:

  • Understanding the benefits available to you
  • Understanding how to you use your home equity to your advantage
  • Tips for money smarter money management
  • Resources for finding work as a senior

Each of these programs can help equip seniors with the knowledge they need to get past financial rough spots and manage alright.

  1. Area Agency of Aging Directory

Seniors are far too often the victims of scammers. That makes it especially challenging for them to identify the professionals they can trust to provide genuinely good advice. The Area Agency of Aging has put together a directory of trustworthy resources seniors can count on.

You can search by your city or zip code to find businesses or counselors that can provide help with a wide range of specialties including financial assistance, legal assistance, home repair and modification, and health insurance. If you find yourself confused or overwhelmed trying to understand the resources at your disposal on your own, identifying a professional you can trust through their directory can help.

  1. Senior Community Service Employment Program

Retirement is great, but many seniors reach a point where getting by on their savings is no longer feasible and it’s worth getting back to work to get a paycheck again.

The United States Department of Labor offers a Senior Community Service Employment Program that helps seniors find part-time jobs so they can start earning a paycheck again.

  1. Meals on Wheels

No senior should have to go hungry. Meals on Wheels serves thousands of communities throughout the United States, ensuring that seniors have access to regular meals and – just as importantly for many – social interactions with the volunteers that bring the food.

  1. Medicare’s Extra Help

Amongst the unfortunate symptoms of aging is that, as health needs increase, health costs go up as well. Medicare can help with some of those costs, but many seniors still find they need some extra help covering the cost of their prescriptions. Luckily, Medicare’s Extra Help program exists precisely for that purpose. For seniors that qualify, Extra Help can cover up to $4,000 extra each year in prescriptions.

  1. PACE

PACE (Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly) is another Medicare program, but this time devoted to helping seniors get the care and services they need to age in place rather than moving into a senior care facility. PACE will help cover the costs of bringing care to you so you can live at home for longer.

  1. SHIP

Government programs get pretty complicated and can be hard for anyone to navigate. SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Programs) will help seniors better understand their Medicare benefits and ensure they’re getting all the coverage they need and qualify for. You can receive counseling and assistance from a SHIP specialist at no cost.

 

Life always manages to seem expensive, but once you retire all those unplanned for expenses become ever more serious and hard to manage. Don’t feel like you have to do it on your own. These resources are available for a reason – people care. Don’t hesitate to reach out and see what help is available for you or a loved one.

Kristen Hicks is an Austin-based copywriter and lifelong student with an ongoing curiousity to learn and explore new things. She turns that interest to researching and exploring subjects helpful to seniors and their families for SeniorAdvisor.com.

11 Comments

  1. Betty Whaley September 20, 2016 Reply

    I am a retired cna.do not have a license. Health will not let me do the cleaning part of the job .looking for sitting with elders as a companion .health results in me seeing specialists & with that comes tests am deep in debt. With medical bills. But do not wiialify for Medicaid. Need job or help paying medicsl bills or just stop going to doctors & die.

    • Janet May 25, 2017 Reply

      My mother is at home and could use a companion to share her home. How would I go about finding someone like you that would want to live with her this way.

      • KAREN JACKSON September 19, 2017 Reply

        I TOO LIVE ALONE, FEMALE 61, DISABLED,OWN HOME (still paying on it), but would love to have a roommate. I would like to be able to assure my safety, as well as she is FREE TO CHECK ME AND BACKGROUND OUT. I LIVE IN HOUSTON, TX.

    • Janet May 25, 2017 Reply

      My mother is at home and could use a companion to share her home. How would I go about finding someone like you that would want to live with her this way.

  2. Jeanie Bradway September 20, 2016 Reply

    Thank you for providing these resources. I need to look into them. I am a 91 yr. old retired minister’s wife and little income.
    Thank you again!
    Jeanie

  3. Geoffrey Sadler December 15, 2018 Reply

    If Janet can get her mom on Medicaid — she’s golden. But her assets and income have to be very low. Real low. Otherwise, if she has a universal life or convertible term life insurance policy she can cash it out with Harbor Life and Brookdale Senior Living, they have an aligned program just for this issue,. to help cover nursing home or assisted living costs for seniors who qualify — and even cover home care, like Janet seems to be looking for. It’s certainly worth looking into. Otherwise these costs will just kill you.

  4. Paula Visser February 10, 2020 Reply

    I am waiting on my approved apt. In Valley View, TX. I am staying in Sanger, tx with my x. This situation is very explosive. He spends my money and his. I can’t afford this. Need financial help and a vehicle. Have a dog.

  5. Paula Visser February 10, 2020 Reply

    I need a vehicle. My income is barely 10,000 a year. I am waiting on my apt to get empty, then after clean up can move in. Staying with x, this situation is very volatile. He spends all my money. Cant save a dime, which don’t have much. He is now diabetic and has temper rages daily… have no way to go or to get away till apt is ready. Any suggestions?

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