Identify key income sources for retirement: Social Security, pensions, annuities, and savings. Calculate needed retirement income as 80% of current pre-tax income, adjusting for lifestyle.

However, unforeseen circumstances, such as health issues, job loss or increased caregiving responsibilities, can force early retirement. But factoring these possibilities into retirement savings ...

5. Lower your housing expenses, if you can If you're open to relocating, consider places with lower taxes and housing costs so you can put more money toward your retirement goals. A decade ago ...

Talk about your goals and dreams now so you can work toward making them mesh later on. 2. At what age do you plan to retire? It's surprising how often couples ignore this topic—and then argue ...

There is no shortage of information about how to reach "financial independence" so you can retire early. However, these strategies usually focus on building just enough assets through investments ...