One of the big things that changes as we get older is that our finances gradually change from regular income to a combination of savings and pensions; our relationship with outgoings also shifts as we pay off mortgages and spend more on our health and on helpers of various kinds. If you’ve always been pretty much on top of your finances, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t carry on being free of financial worries. But it can be hard. With credit cards, online payments, hidden charges and equity release schemes, it’s much easier to spend money than it used to be, and there are ever more devious scams specifically designed to relieve older people of their carefully-garnered reserves.

Some seniors are carrying more debt into retirement after years of helping children and grandchildren; working out how best to balance their financial needs with yours can be problematic, not least because you never know how long your resources need to last, or what unexpected costs might arise. It is all too easy to turn to credit cards, equity release, or a reverse mortgage to deal with an unforeseen medical bill or a similar financial emergency, and then be left to worry how to be sure of repaying it.

Then there are particular challenges related to managing your finances after the death of a partner. In addition to the costs relating to a funeral, reorganising your finances so they work for you when you are on your own can be challenging, especially if you were not very involved in managing your joint finances.

Scams, identity theft, and complicated account arrangements have become a serious issue for many older people. Who can we trust when we have to respond to suspicious phone calls or emails? How can we check that our bank and credit card statements are correct, and that unauthorized payments are not being made? How do we understand confusing charges, subscriptions and services we don’t remember signing up for, or how interest charges are calculated? And all of this becomes harder if you don’t have someone to consult and talk things over with.

Fortunately there are resources which can help and support you with financial advice, planning, and just thinking things through. You’ll find many of them alongside. Remember that financial security should be your reward for a lifetime of experience and responsibility, not a constant worry.