Falling behind on bills might be more than just a slip-up; it could be an early sign of dementia. New research reveals that before dementia becomes evident, individuals often start falling behind on financial duties such as keeping up with personal payments or obligations — they’ve also tracked changes in spending habits leading up to a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or similar disorders.

Their findings? The numbers tell a tale: A year before diagnosis, those who later develop dementia are 17.2% more likely to slip up on mortgage payments and a whopping 34.3% more likely to flub their credit card bills.

But the financial fallout isn’t just personal — it’s societal. Another study estimated a staggering 600k cases of overdue payments will occur over the next decade due to undiagnosed memory disorders. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

The bottom line: It’s a wake-up call to stay vigilant and prepare for the possibility of a dementia diagnosis. As Dr. Nicholas — a professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine who has studied dementia’s impact on people’s finances — wisely advises, “We should be thinking about the possibility of financial difficulties linked to a disease we don’t even know we have.” After all, staying sharp financially might just be the first step in staying sharp mentally.

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