Introduction to Retirement Planning

For many people, the popular dream of retirement as golden years of leisure and comfort has been overshadowed by financial difficulties. Our longer life spans mean longer reliance on a fixed income. And threats to the Social Security system may mean that it will be of little help to retirees in the future. To ensure that you have the resources you will need to have the kind of life you want after retirement, it is important that you plan carefully and act immediately to provide for your future income.

As with all planning, the key to a successful retirement plan lies in setting clear and realistic retirement goals. While retirement may be many years off, you probably already have some ideas of what that retirement might look like. Start there. Then consider what resources you will have available to achieve those goals as well as what resources you can commit now. Put your plan into writing. Goals that are not written down are nothing more than wishes.