Plan Well Ahead for Retirement

Although retirement may be decades off, knowing where the money will come from to fund those pension years is vital. Met Life has some good financial planning advice -- for free.

Met experts suggest you review your likely Social Security benefit, any pensions or annuities you are due and funds in your Individual Retirement Account or 401(k) plan. Use a computer calculator or talk to a financial professional to get an idea how much income your savings and investments will generate.

Evaluate the costs you expect to incur in retirement, such as health insurance and taxes -- which don't end just because you're retired. Met Life also suggests a number of books and government publications to help you plan the financial foundation of your retirement.

If you're looking ahead to retirement and want information to help get you there, sign up for the free weekly ThirdAge Reinventing Retirement newsletter.