The right initial response can make a difference.(Life - Money)

Hindsight is 20/20, and foresight is a gift, but when an unexpected predicament stares you in the face, you can suddenly develop blurry vision. There are either too many choices or not enough. To make the unanticipated a little easier to navigate, here are the steps you should take to find your way through these and other "I didn't see that coming" scenarios.

The first thing you should do when:

You've been fired

First: Apply right away for unemployment benefits. If this sounds obvious, it's not. The average unemployed person spends just over four months out of work, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And yet "only about 80 percent of those who qualify (for benefits) do file," says Thomas Fuller, communications director for the Oregon Department of Employment. "There's no reason not to take advantage of those benefits, since your former employer's tax dollars fund them, whether you use them or not."

Then: Enlist legal services if you feel your dismissal involves discrimination or breach of contract, advises Pearl Zuchlewski, former chair of the New York State Bar Association …