Includes index.

Chapter 1Redefining "Retirement" 1 -- Reassessing retirement -- Living and working longer -- Serious planning a must -- Piecing together your puzzle -- Overcoming financial worries -- Chapter 2 Estimate How Much You'll Need 11 -- Your numbers are unique -- Start Here: Figuring your future income -- How long you-and your nest egg-will last -- Toting your own retirement tab -- Worry-free retirement worksheet -- Filling the retirement-income gap -- Power of compounding: Big gun in your corner -- Chapter 3 Manage Your Spending and Debts 31 -- It's not what you earn, it's what you save -- Consider retirement savings a fixed monthly expense -- Money-tracking worksheets -- Get serious about saving -- Good debt, bad debt: Be a sensible borrower -- Four ways to keep your debt costs down -- Chapter 4 Size Up Your Retirement Plan at Work 55 -- Trend toward "self-directed" programs -- How does your employer's plan work? -- What you should know about cash-balance or hybrid plans -- What you should know about defined-benefit pensions -- Defined-contribution and self-directed plans -- Fitting a profit-sharing plan or ESOP into your program -- Vesting: Your pension plan's golden handcuffs -- When two pensions are not better than one -- Where to find details on your pension plan -- Chapter 5 Discover the Real Deal from Social Security 79 -- What will you get? -- Your personalized benefits estimate -- Unheralded social security features -- Taxing side of social security -- When to start collecting: It's your choice -- Chapter 6 Pack an Insurance Parachute 99 -- Maximizing your health benefits -- Fitting life insurance into your retirement plan -- Term life: Biggest bang for your insurance buck -- Case for cash-value coverage -- Don't overlook disability coverage -- Your long-term-care insurance choices -- Chapter 7 Get a Turbocharged Earnings Edge with Iras 119 -- Power of tax-deferred growth -- Traditional versus Roth: The new rules of IRAs -- Getting your money out -- Choosing between a Roth and a regular IRA -- Convert an old-style IRA to a Roth? -- Power of the IRA-traditional or Roth -- Extra IRA blessings -- Get maximum action from your IRA -- Moving your IRA money -- Chapter 8 Set up Your Own Pension Plan 149 -- Keogh plan: A sweet deal -- Different kinds of Keoghs -- Ageweighted plan opportunity -- Simplicity of a business IRA -- SIMPLE plan for small business -- Write your own retirement-income ticket -- Right plan for you -- Chapter 9 Make the Best Investment Choices 165 -- Three fundamental truths -- Investment speak: 68 key investment terms you should know -- Stocks promise the best long-term gains -- Role of bonds and GICs -- Variable annuities -- Your house as a retirement piggy bank -- REIT way to invest in real estate -- A place for gold? -- Chapter 10 Use These Money-Wise Strategies 197 -- Strategy #1 Set the stage -- Strategy #2 Plug into the mutual fund miracle -- Strategy #3 Add an annuity advantage -- Strategy #4 Pick your own stocks -- Strategy #5 Use five bond-buying tactics -- Strategy #6 Dip into dollar-cost averaging -- Strategy #7 Avoid these investment potholes -- Portfolio tracker: How are your investments deployed? -- Chapter 11 Make the Right Moves with a Pension Payout 243 -- "Stop me before I spend!" -- Avoid the pension-payout trap -- Transfer the money directly to a "rollover" IRA -- Tap the Keogh advantage -- Planning for change -- Investing the payout cash -- Golden handshake: Sizing up an early-payout offer -- Chapter 12 Monitor Your Retirement Plan's Pulse 259 -- Watch out for inflation -- Reassess your plan when changes occur -- Go for some high-tech help -- Track your investment performance -- Keep tabs on your debt and savings schedule -- Check your social security record -- Review your insurance coverage -- Monitor your company's pulse, too -- Try for an early exit -- Look at living costs where you plan to retire -- Resist retirement money myths -- Consider a post-job job -- Start your own business -- If you work and collect social security -- Tap your house for retirement income -- Need more help? Hire a financial-planning professional.