Retirement may not be on your radar – and certainly not saving money for when you decide to put up your feet – but now is the time to begin planning and making necessary adjustments to ensure your needs are met.

Individual Retirement Accounts and a 401(k) are the most common ways to sock away money. But when was the last time you truly paid attention to those savings? “Hey, it’s safe; it’s going to be there when I need it.” … But have your retirement goals changed in the last 12-18 months? Hmm, if so, you may need to recalculate.

Also, the cost of living continues to rise. No one knows how much it will cost to merely hold serve with your current lifestyle, much less 20, 25 years from now. Should you consider putting more into those accounts? At what point should you max out your annual contributions to an IRA or 401(k)?

These are real questions that require real solutions. … Now, what if you haven’t even started saving for retirement? As the work force grows older – and we’re talking people in their 40s and 50s, which isn’t “old” – more people are traversing uncertain employment terrain. Time is short but you still can make a significant contribution toward retirement accounts.

When we’re young, the next day is our focus. As we grow, family needs have to be met – the kids need shoes, school trips, and maybe even paying for a wedding (or plural). The fiscal responsibility of retirement often gets pushed into a corner, only to rear its head when we’re least prepared to feed the demand.

Remember that savings account at the bank, the one you dump $100 into each month? Consider what that money could do being invested in the market with a higher yield. … A lifestyle isn’t about here and now. It’s time to start making plans and meeting financial goals. Living the best life will be during retirement, while truly living for you!