If you're on a fixed income, the looming possibility of creditors taking legal action can feel especially intimidating. alexsl/Getty Images

Retirement is supposed to mark a shift into a more predictable, less stressful financial chapter of life, one where income is steady, expenses are manageable and long-term worries take a back seat to day-to-day living. But for many retirees, rising costs and lingering balances have made credit card debt a common and frustrating part of the picture. Between higher medical expenses , inflation and fixed incomes that don't stretch as far as they once did, some older Americans find themselves juggling payments well into their 60s, 70s and beyond.

This can naturally lead to bigger questions about what happens if those payments fall behind .

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