When it comes to planning their financial future, many people follow the same philosophy: “I’ll start saving and planning tomorrow.” Unfortunately, tomorrow comes and goes with the beginnings of a plan still not done. Before they know it, years and even decades have passed, and they’re still not prepared for retirement, for emergencies, or for any number of things that could happen.

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Granted, when you’re young or when the economy is tough, the future and all the “what ifs” are the last things on your mind. You’re living in the now, making ends meet the best you can, and tomorrow seems like something that will never come.

Realize, though, that an emergency or other need for planning may be just around the corner. So whether you’re young or old, earning a decent salary or just barely scraping by, healthy or unwell, the time to start planning for your future is now. Following are suggestions to get you on the right track.

Acknowledge the Uncertainties

Any number of unexpected things can happen to anyone. Most people don’t think about these things because they’re not happy thoughts. And while you definitely shouldn’t dwell on the negative or worry about things that haven’t even happened yet, you should acknowledge that health problems, injuries, and setbacks happen to everyone — even you.

For example, a healthy young man could be at the gym running on the treadmill when his iPod falls to the ground. He slows to a walking pace and then bends down to pick up the device, only to fall over and sustain a serious brain injury. He’s 35 and has health insurance, but no standard health insurance policy covers long-term catastrophic illness. Now he’s stuck with all the bills.

If you think something like that could never happen to you, consider this: One in seven people in long-term healthcare facilities are under the age of 65. For instance, Michael J. Fox was only 30 when he noticed a twitch in his finger that was later diagnosed as Parkinson’s. And Christopher Reeve was 43 when he had his tragic accident that left him a quadriplegic. Additionally, according to an analysis of statistics from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the number of under-65 nursing home residents has risen about 22 percent in the past eight years. So, yes, “stuff” happens. That’s why you must plan for it.

Know Where Your Money Is

Unfortunately, most people aren’t trained on how to invest their money. There are no long-term investment classes offered in high school or college. People simply go out into the working world, earn a salary, and hand their financial life over to a financial planner who is supposed to know what they’re doing. But the fact is that some planners have their own concerns in mind and end up putting their clients’ money at risk.

When your money is “at risk,” it means you can lose your principal because you’re primarily invested in the stock market or in variable annuities (in the items that pay higher commissions for the brokers). Realize that there are other options you can invest in — things that have much less risk yet that offer good returns. So look where your money is. If it’s all in stocks or other high risk investments, the money you think you have may not be there when you need it.

Have Your Documents in Order

No matter what your age or financial situation, you need to have certain legal documents in place. First is a Power of Attorney for financial and a Power of Attorney for healthcare. Even if you’re single or newlywed, you want someone you trust to make your decisions should you become incapable of doing so.

If you have minor children, you also need to have a guardianship in place. Suppose you and your spouse go out to dinner one night and get in tragic car accident. Who is going to take care of the kids? If you don’t have that contingency plan already spelled out, then it goes into a court situation and your children could end up in the foster care system.

Long-term care insurance is another important piece of the puzzle. Should something happen that requires you to need long-term care, the LTC insurance will act as a hedge around your assets so you don’t have to pay out of pocket for the associated expenses. Even more important, it helps to keep your quality of life the same so you can live at home with in-home care and not have to go to a nursing home.

Develop a Saving Mindset

In an ideal world, people would start saving for their future when they’re in their 20s or 30s. But when times are tight, saving anything can seem impossible. However, even saving as little as a dollar or two a month can put you on the right path.

For example, someone living paycheck to paycheck, working as a convenience store clerk and attending college at night, claimed not to have any money to save. But after looking at her budget we saw she could save $5 a month. So she started putting that $5 into a savings account each month. While the $5 per month wasn’t much, this monthly saving habit put her in a different mindset. As her situation improved and she obtained her degree, her saving habit was already developed. Then it became a game of “how much can I save this month?” Once she got a better job, that $5 per month increased to $20, then to $50, then to $100, and then even more.

The earlier you start the habit of saving, the better. When you nurture the habit of saving a certain percent of your income no matter what, you’ll find that as your income increases the amount you save grows too. Today’s young workers can’t depend on social security being able to support them when they’re older. It’s time for everyone to start building their own financial reserves.

Don’t Start Tomorrow — Start Planning Today

While the future may seem like a long way off, it’s really just around the corner. Don’t be caught off guard. Get your financial future mapped out today to ensure you and your family are well taken care of.