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We are so hard on ourselves aren’t we? We think we are supposed to get it all right the first time. Relationships! Careers! Finances! Now, tell me, where in the owner’s manual of life does it say you had to get it all right the first time? As far as I am concerned, whatever age you are when you ‘get it right’ is the right age. Sure, it would be great to figure it out in your twenties or thirties. But in your fifties is better than in your sixties, and so on. I have people of all ages coming to me for advice. Some learn early, some not so much. And it is nothing to be ashamed of. It will be OK when…. We get into financial trouble for a lot of reasons. Sometimes it is a product of our upbringing – you can only really learn what you are exposed to, so if your parents (or other role models) were not-so-good with money, how could you expect to be? Sometimes we just lean on the side of optimism (an admirable trait, but one that can lead to temporary blindness, a.k.a avoidance). You overspend or use too much credit assuming you will be OK when you get a job, get more work, get your tax refund, the kids move out, etc., etc. And sometimes it is simply poor decision-making. The salesperson made it sound like you could afford it, the bank told you that you qualify for that level of mortgage… The reason you are in financial trouble doesn’t matter so much, it is what you are going to do about it that is paramount. But doing something about it does depend on knowing what the issue was that led to the situation. But what can I do? The most important thing you can do is make the decision to turn your finances around. Often that starts by asking others for help. And by taking an inventory of your options. If it isn’t completely obvious, you need to determine where your challenges lie. Do you impulsively spend, leaving you short for every day/month expenses.? Try Setting up a simple three-step spending plan. Do you rely on credit to make ends meet each month? If so, you need to put a plan in place to live within your means. Maybe you have absolutely no idea where your money goes, in which case tracking your expenses is a crucial first step. The key is to take action. If you ignore the problem, I guarantee you, it will NOT fix itself. There is always a solution. Sometimes, you just need a helping hand to show you the way. It is never a bad idea to talk to a Licensed Insolvency Trustee (LIT). They are the go-to professionals when you need advice about debt and the first consultation with an LIT is always free. An LIT is the only professional who can show you all options when it comes to dealing with financial difficulty. To find an LIT near you, visit http://www.cairp.ca/find-a-cirp Mary Ann Marriott, CIRP, is a Licensed Insolvency Trustee with Allan Marshall & Associates Inc. and services their Halifax and Bridgewater locations in Nova Scotia. She is passionate about helping others succeed financially and regularly provides workshops, presentations and social media posts on this topic. You can find her on Twitter as @Dr_Debt_NS.