The paper aims to study the relationship between the life cycle and financial distress of firms. I used data from 721 listed companies on the Stock exchange of Ho Chi Minh city and Hanoi, during the period from 2008 to 2022. Regression analysis using the Logit model and fixed-effect method is employed to examine the impact of the life cycle on financial distress. The research results indicate the existence of differences in financial distress across different stages of the life cycle. Compared to the mature stages, companies in the startup, growth and decline stages are more likely to experience financial difficulties. Additionally, the study also identifies the positive impact of cash flow from financial activities on financial distress. Based on these results, I propose some suggestions to stabilize the financial situation of firms according to each stage of the life cycle.