Older Americans faced with unexpected financial hardships may not know where to turn for assistance and advice for their debt problems, or even to find the help they need to deal with situations they face in their daily lives. The bad news is that often, in addition to hardships and emergencies, they don’t have immediate access to a computer or are unfamiliar with how to use today’s technology. The good news is that free help is available with a simple telephone call to a nonprofit credit counseling organization or any number of public and private sector assistance resources, and most of these organizations offer online services as well.

Witness the case of Wanda, a senior who had excessive medical bills and two children who needed assistance getting started with their adult lives out of the family home. Burdens mounted and suddenly she found herself with $19,000 on credit cards. Paying monthly minimums on her debts would have taken her decades to repay. Fortunately, she accepted a free credit counseling session from the nonprofit InCharge Debt Solutions (IDS), where she eventually opted for a debt repayment plan (or debt management program). After three years and regular, valuable personal finance education from IDS, she has only $5,000 left to pay and is on track to resolve her debt in less than two years. Her new-found money management skills have not been lost on her children either! They are now self-sufficient, have their own homes and are on their way to financial stability.

Then there is the case of Linda. She was living in Louisiana when Hurricane Katrina hit. Up to that point, things were going pretty well for Linda: she had a job, a home and enough money to pay her bills. The wrath of Katrina left Linda without employment and few materials things or financial resources. She was forced to use credit cards to pay her bills. The charges mounted and she found it necessary to move out of state to live with her son and daughter-in-law in order to afford her monthly bills. Today, she has thousands on credit cards, no home and a monthly income of less than $1,000.

If you were Linda, where would you find help? A good first step would be to get access to a computer, either from a friend or family member, or at a public library. If you are not familiar with how to use the internet, ask for help from a friend or the librarian. From saving money on prescription drugs to finding free help doing your taxes, you can go online or use your phone (or borrow a friend’s) to find valuable information specific to your needs and your situation.

The Federal Government has many resources for seniors in debt situations like Wanda's and Linda’s, as well as many other special needs unrelated to financial emergencies. For example, FirstGov for Seniors is part of the U.S. government's official Web portal, www.firstgov.gov, and is an excellent resource for information geared directly to seniors on topics like:

• Consumer Protection
• Education, Jobs and Volunteerism
• Federal and State Agencies
• Health
• Laws and Regulations
• Retirement and Money
• Taxes
• Travel and Leisure

To contact by phone, call toll-free: 1-800-FED INFO (1-800-333-4636).

Another burden seniors face is preparing their own taxes, and if they are unfamiliar with what needs to be done, the task may seem overwhelming. While tax season may be over for this year, it is good to plan ahead for next year, so keep this link handy: http://www.aarp.org/money/taxaide. This site, sponsored by AARP, can help you find free tax preparation help, information on tax laws that have changed and more. To contact by phone, call toll-free: 1-888-OUR-AARP (1-888-687-2277).

Another site, which calls itself the "E-cyclopedia,” provides great information in areas like housing options, retirement, finance, insurance and health care, and it is available at www.seniorresource.com. Use it to find information on topics that include:

• Coping with aging
• Understanding housing options
• Estate and insurance planning
• Elder law

To contact by phone, call toll-free: 1-877-793-7901.

Other great links for seniors to explore:

General assistance and programs for seniors: www.aarp.org

Where to find human services: www.211.org

Visiting nurses who provide home care: www.vnaa.org

Meal services at home: www.mowaa.org

Find out if service provider is legitimate: www.seniorsapprove.com

Free help for senior citizens for dozens of needs: www.seniorcitizens.org

Free advice on Medicare, Medicaid, and more: www.freeseniorcitizenssolutions.com

Nonprofit credit counseling for debt problems: www.incharge.org