• Retirement plans. You may be able to borrow against your retirement plan at work. If you go this route, you should try to create a plan to pay the money back. So pursue this option only after serious consideration.
  
  If you are permanently disabled, you can withdraw money from a retirement plan. You won’t pay a penalty to get the money, but you will have to pay income tax on it. The money you receive could affect your ability to receive government assistance.
  
  
• Veterans benefits. If you were in the military, call the Department of Veterans Affairs at 1-800-733-8387 or visit www.va.gov. Ask if you are eligible for benefits.
  
  
• Life insurance. Permanent insurance policies have a “cash value.” Examples are whole life, variable life, and universal life policies. If you have one of these policies, you may be able to use the cash value to get a loan from the insurance company. You also may be able to take some of the cash value out of the insurance policy. Term life insurance does not have any cash value.
  
  
• Long-term care insurance. Long-term care insurance pays nursing home costs. It also may pay the cost to hire someone to help you at home. If you have long-term care insurance, call your insurance agent. Find out if you can get benefits. If you don’t have long-term care insurance now, you probably won’t be able to buy a policy because of your stroke. However, your caregiver might be able to buy his or her own policy.
  
  
• Reverse mortgage. If you are at least 62 years old and own your own home (or nearly own it), you may be able to get cash out of the “equity” in the house. (Equity is the value of your house minus the money you still owe on it.) A reverse mortgage is a loan against your home’s equity. The loan does not have to be paid as long as you live in the house. It can be a very expensive loan, however. Before you take out a reverse mortgage, talk to your accountant or financial planner.
  
  
• Mortgage or credit disability insurance. This kind of insurance might pay your mortgage or credit card bill if you are disabled.
  
  
• Personal property. A coin, stamp, or doll collection might be worth a great deal of money.

— My plan to find other sources of money