Cumulative financial hardship and stressful life events (for example, job loss, foreclosure, bankruptcy) significantly increase the risk of onset of mental and physical illnesses, a situation that is particularly exacerbated in later life. Projections indicate that one in four adults will be 65 or older by 2030 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2004; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging, 2001). Yet, little is known about how the financial status of older adults affects their well-being generally, and specifically, about the types of interventions social workers might use to help their older clients with such issues. This commentary explores what is meant by financial hardship, how exactly it affects the older adult population, and what is or should be social work's role in response to this issue of social justice.