Turning 40 is a financial wake-up call. Your career is hitting its stride, your earning potential is peaking, but retirement suddenly feels less like a distant dream and more like an approaching reality that demands your attention.

This guide is for high earners in their 40s who want to move beyond basic retirement advice and build a sophisticated wealth strategy. Whether you’re making six figures or more, you face unique challenges that generic retirement tips simply don’t address.

We’ll walk you through building a bulletproof financial foundation that can weather any storm while maximizing your peak earning years. You’ll discover how to supercharge your tax-advantaged savings using advanced strategies like Backdoor Roth IRAs and Mega Backdoor Roths that most people don’t even know exist. Finally, we’ll show you how to construct an investment portfolio designed for serious long-term growth while protecting everything you’ve worked so hard to build.

Your 40s aren’t just another decade – they’re your make-or-break moment for retirement success. Let’s make them count.

Build a Strong Financial Foundation in Your 40s

Create a budget that keeps essential expenses under 50% of income

When building a strong financial foundation in your 40s, establishing a budget that maintains your fixed expenses below 50% of your income creates crucial breathing room for wealth building. Know your fixed expenses like rent, utilities, and groceries, as these form the backbone of your budgeting strategy. By keeping essential costs under half your earnings, you ensure adequate resources for retirement savings, emergency funds, and discretionary spending.

Review your spending habits regularly to understand where your money flows. This doesn’t require tracking every dollar, but gaining clarity on your financial patterns enables informed decision-making. Focus on identifying your true needs versus wants, particularly as spending habits can easily spiral out of control over time without proper oversight.

Track spending patterns to identify areas for optimization

Understanding your spending can help you make strategic financial decisions without requiring daily micromanagement. Identify subscriptions or recurring expenses that may no longer align with your priorities – these often represent hidden drains on your budget that accumulate significantly over time.

Look for spending ruts you may have fallen into, such as continuing to buy things that no longer bring you joy. Try taking a break from questionable purchases for a few weeks. If you don’t miss them, you’ve discovered an excellent opportunity to cut back on spending and redirect those funds toward retirement planning.

Establish emergency savings covering 3-6 months of expenses

Building a safety net through emergency savings helps you manage unexpected expenses without derailing your long-term financial goals. A common guideline suggests saving three to six months of essential expenses, though the appropriate amount varies based on your specific situation and risk tolerance.

Starting small still provides a helpful buffer for unforeseen costs. Even modest emergency savings can prevent you from tapping retirement accounts or accumulating high-interest debt when financial surprises occur. Balancing emergency fund building with debt management represents a common consideration during your 40s, requiring strategic prioritization based on your circumstances.

Automate savings to ensure consistent wealth building

Automating bills and savings helps you stay on track without requiring daily financial management. Set up automatic transfers to move money into savings accounts immediately after each paycheck, treating savings like any other essential expense.

Monthly automation of deposits into retirement accounts, emergency funds, and other savings goals removes the temptation to spend money earmarked for your future. This systematic approach to wealth building ensures consistent progress toward your financial objectives, leveraging the power of compound interest over time. Even small, regular contributions can have a meaningful impact when sustained consistently throughout your 40s and beyond.

Protect Your Income and Assets with Strategic Insurance

Secure adequate term life insurance for dependents

Now that we have established a strong financial foundation, the next critical step is protecting your income and family through strategic insurance coverage. Life insurance becomes particularly important in your 40s when financial obligations are typically at their peak. Many people in this age group are simultaneously paying mortgages, saving for college tuition, and planning for retirement while supporting dependents.

Term life insurance offers the most affordable protection for families during these high-need years. Financial experts recommend coverage of six to eight times your annual salary, but your specific needs may vary based on your circumstances. Consider all potential expenses your family would face: living expenses including mortgage payments, household debt, childcare costs, college tuition, medical bills, and funeral expenses.

When selecting term length, avoid the temptation to choose shorter durations to save money. A 10-year term only covers you into your 50s, when you may still have significant financial obligations. Many insurers offer terms up to 30 years, with some like Lemonade providing 40-year terms for applicants aged 20 to 75.

For stay-at-home parents, life insurance remains crucial despite not earning a traditional salary. The services they provide – daycare, education support, meal preparation, and household management – would require substantial replacement costs if they were no longer available.

Obtain disability insurance to protect your earning capacity

Previously, we’ve focused on protecting your family in case of death, but protecting your income while you’re alive is equally important. Disability insurance safeguards your earning capacity, which is often your most valuable asset during your 40s when career earnings typically peak.

Your ability to earn income over your remaining working years likely represents millions of dollars in potential earnings. Without disability protection, an illness or injury could devastate your financial planning and retirement savings strategy. This coverage becomes even more critical as you age, since the likelihood of experiencing a disability increases over time.

Consider both short-term and long-term disability coverage. Many employers offer group disability insurance, but these policies often provide limited coverage – typically 60% of your salary with caps that may not adequately replace your full income. Supplemental individual disability policies can bridge this gap and provide more comprehensive protection.

Add umbrella liability insurance for lawsuit protection

With this foundation of life and disability coverage in mind, next we’ll examine protecting your accumulated assets from potential lawsuits. As your wealth grows during your 40s, you become a more attractive target for litigation. Umbrella liability insurance provides an additional layer of protection beyond your standard auto and homeowner’s policies.

This coverage protects your retirement savings, investment accounts, and other assets from claims that exceed your primary insurance limits. Umbrella policies typically start at $1 million in coverage and are relatively affordable considering the protection they provide. The cost is often just a few hundred dollars annually for substantial coverage amounts.

Umbrella insurance covers various scenarios including auto accidents where damages exceed your car insurance limits, accidents on your property, or situations where you’re held liable for damages. Without this protection, a single lawsuit could potentially wipe out years of careful financial planning and retirement savings.

Review and update coverage as life circumstances change

Insurance needs evolve significantly throughout your 40s and beyond as your financial situation changes. Major life events should trigger a comprehensive review of all your coverage. These events include salary increases, job changes, marriage, divorce, birth of children, home purchases, or significant changes in your investment portfolio value.

Annual reviews ensure your coverage keeps pace with inflation and your growing assets. What seemed like adequate coverage five years ago may now leave dangerous gaps in protection. Additionally, your health status can change, potentially affecting your ability to obtain coverage later or increasing premiums significantly.

Consider working with an insurance professional who can evaluate your entire insurance portfolio holistically. They can identify potential gaps, recommend appropriate coverage levels, and help coordinate between different policies to avoid overlaps or gaps in protection. This comprehensive approach ensures your insurance strategy supports your overall retirement planning goals rather than working against them.

Maximize Tax-Advantaged Retirement Savings

Contribute the maximum to 401(k) plans and capture employer matches

Maximizing your 401(k) contributions represents one of the most powerful tax-advantaged strategies available for retirement planning. When you contribute to a traditional 401(k), you’re using pretax dollars, which immediately reduces your taxable income for the current year. This means every dollar you contribute effectively costs you less due to the immediate tax savings.

The employer match component cannot be overstated in its importance for your financial planning strategy. This represents free money toward your retirement goals, essentially providing an immediate 100% return on your investment up to the match limit. Even if you’re facing budget constraints, prioritizing contributions up to the full employer match should be your minimum target.

For 2024, the contribution limits allow for substantial tax-deferred savings opportunities. By contributing the maximum allowed, you’re not only reducing your current tax burden but also allowing these funds to grow tax-deferred until withdrawal. This compound growth advantage over decades can significantly impact your retirement wealth accumulation.

Implement Backdoor Roth IRA strategies for high earners

High earners face income limitations that prevent direct contributions to Roth IRAs, but the backdoor Roth strategy provides a valuable workaround for your investment planning. This technique involves making non-deductible contributions to a traditional IRA and then converting those funds to a Roth IRA.

The reference content specifically mentions this as a strategy to “get around the income caps through a ‘backdoor Roth’ conversion.” You would move traditional 401(k) assets to a traditional IRA first, then convert them to a Roth IRA. While you’ll owe income tax on the amount you convert, this strategy can provide significant long-term tax savings since qualified Roth distributions in retirement are completely tax-free.

The uncertainty around this strategy’s future availability makes it particularly important to act while the opportunity exists. As noted in the reference material, Congress has discussed eliminating this loophole, so implementing this strategy sooner rather than later could be crucial for your retirement planning.

Utilize Mega Backdoor Roth for additional tax-free growth

Building on traditional backdoor Roth strategies, the Mega Backdoor Roth allows for substantially larger contributions to tax-free retirement savings. This advanced strategy enables you to contribute additional after-tax dollars to your 401(k) beyond the standard contribution limits, then convert these funds to a Roth IRA.

This approach is particularly valuable for high earners who have maximized other tax-advantaged options and want to accelerate their retirement savings. The ability to move significant amounts into tax-free growth vehicles can dramatically impact your long-term retirement wealth, especially when implemented consistently over many years.

The tax-free growth and distribution benefits of Roth accounts become increasingly valuable over time. Since you’ve already paid taxes on these contributions, all future growth and qualified distributions will be tax-free, providing substantial advantages for your retirement income planning.

Leverage Health Savings Accounts for triple tax advantages

Health Savings Accounts offer unprecedented tax advantages that make them exceptional tools for retirement planning beyond their primary healthcare purpose. The “triple tax advantage” includes tax-deductible contributions, tax-free growth, and tax-free withdrawals for qualified medical expenses.

After age 65, HSAs become even more valuable as retirement vehicles. While you’ll pay ordinary income tax on non-medical withdrawals (similar to traditional IRAs), the decades of tax-free growth potential make HSAs incredibly powerful for long-term wealth accumulation. Medical expenses in retirement are significant, making the tax-free withdrawal benefit particularly valuable.

The reference content emphasizes avoiding early withdrawals from retirement accounts, but HSAs provide unique flexibility. You can withdraw contributions for medical expenses at any time without penalty, making them both a retirement savings vehicle and an emergency medical fund. This dual purpose enhances your overall financial security while maximizing tax advantages for your retirement planning strategy.

Set Clear Retirement Goals and Benchmarks

Calculate your specific retirement income needs using the 4% rule

The 4% rule serves as a foundational benchmark for determining how much you’ll need to accumulate by retirement. This widely-accepted guideline suggests you can safely withdraw 4% of your retirement portfolio annually without depleting your savings over a 30-year retirement period. To calculate your specific needs, multiply your desired annual retirement income by 25. For example, if you want $80,000 annually in retirement, you’ll need approximately $2 million in investment assets ($80,000 × 25 = $2,000,000).

When applying this rule to your retirement planning strategy, consider that it assumes a diversified portfolio and doesn’t account for Social Security benefits or pension income, which can reduce your required savings target.

Establish savings milestones (4x income by 45, 6x by 50, 10x by 67)

Now that we’ve established the 4% rule foundation, setting progressive savings milestones becomes crucial for staying on track. The reference benchmarks suggest having 3x your annual income saved by age 40, escalating to 12x by age 50, and ultimately reaching 23x by age 60.

However, more conservative traditional guidelines recommend:

• 4x annual income by age 45
• 6x annual income by age 50
• 10x annual income by age 67

These milestones provide measurable checkpoints for your retirement goals. If you’re currently 40 and earning $100,000 annually, aim for $400,000 in retirement savings by age 45. The power of compound growth means that consistent contributions early on can dramatically impact your final portfolio value—a $10,000 investment at age 25 could grow to over $452,000 by age 65, assuming a 10% annual return.

Adjust for inflation and healthcare costs in retirement planning

With savings milestones established, you must factor in inflation’s impact on your purchasing power and escalating healthcare expenses. Traditional benchmarks often underestimate these factors, particularly given increased longevity and rising medical costs. Healthcare expenses typically increase faster than general inflation rates, potentially consuming a significant portion of your retirement income.

When setting your retirement goals, consider that what costs $80,000 today may require $120,000 or more in 25 years due to inflation. Build this reality into your savings targets by increasing your accumulation goals beyond basic calculations.

Account for reduced pension availability compared to previous generations

Unlike previous generations who could rely on employer-provided pensions, today’s retirees must primarily fund their own retirement through personal savings and 401(k) plans. According to recent survey data, the combined employer and employee contribution rate was 12.1% in 2022, with average employer contributions at 4.8% of pay.

This shift places greater responsibility on individual savers to reach adequate retirement funding levels. With traditional pensions largely disappearing, your personal investment strategy becomes even more critical for achieving financial security in retirement. Focus on maximizing employer matching contributions while building substantial personal savings to compensate for this reduced safety net.

Optimize Investment Portfolio for Long-Term Growth

Implement aggressive asset allocation (80-90% stocks, 10-20% bonds)

At age 40, your 25-year time horizon until retirement allows for a more aggressive investment approach that prioritizes long-term growth over short-term stability. The optimal asset allocation for this stage involves maintaining 80-90% of your portfolio in stocks with only 10-20% in bonds. Research consistently shows that portfolios with higher equity allocations have produced greater returns over all rolling 30+ year periods in market history.

This aggressive allocation strategy addresses the fact that inflation poses a greater long-term threat to your retirement security than short-term market volatility. With two and a half decades remaining until retirement, your portfolio can weather multiple market cycles and benefit from the compounding growth that stocks provide. The precise allocation within this range is less critical than maintaining consistency – whether you choose 80/20 or 90/10, the key is selecting a portfolio you can maintain without becoming overly emotional during market downturns.

Diversify across domestic and international markets

Within your equity allocation, implementing proper diversification across geographic markets enhances your portfolio’s risk-adjusted returns. A balanced approach typically involves allocating 70% of your stock holdings to US markets and 30% to international markets. This split provides exposure to different economic cycles, currencies, and growth opportunities while maintaining a home-country bias that many investors find comfortable.

International diversification helps reduce portfolio volatility through non-correlated asset classes. When domestic markets face challenges, international markets may perform differently, providing a buffer against concentrated geographic risk. This diversification strategy becomes particularly valuable over long investment horizons, as different regions experience varying periods of outperformance.

Consider alternative investments for accredited investors

For investors who qualify as accredited, alternative investments can provide additional diversification benefits and potentially higher returns. However, these opportunities should complement, not replace, your core portfolio of low-cost index funds. Alternative investments might include real estate investment trusts (REITs), private equity, or hedge funds, but they should represent a small percentage of your overall allocation.

The complexity and higher fees associated with alternative investments require careful evaluation. Most investors in their 40s will achieve their retirement goals through traditional asset classes without the added complexity of alternatives. If you do pursue these options, ensure they align with your overall investment strategy and don’t compromise your ability to maintain consistent contributions to tax-advantaged accounts.

Focus on low-cost, tax-efficient investment vehicles

Cost efficiency becomes paramount when building wealth over decades, as even small fee differences compound significantly over time. Prioritize broad-market index funds with expense ratios below 0.20%, ideally closer to 0.05%. These low-cost vehicles provide instant diversification across hundreds or thousands of companies while minimizing the drag that high fees create on long-term returns.

Tax efficiency should guide your investment vehicle selection and placement. Maximize contributions to tax-advantaged accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs before investing in taxable accounts. Within taxable accounts, favor tax-efficient index funds that generate minimal taxable distributions. This strategic approach to costs and taxes ensures more of your investment returns compound for your benefit rather than being eroded by unnecessary expenses.

Eliminate High-Interest Debt Strategically

Choose Between Avalanche and Snowball Debt Repayment Methods

When developing your retirement strategies at 40, selecting the right debt elimination approach can significantly accelerate your financial planning timeline. Two proven methods dominate the landscape: the avalanche and snowball approaches.

The avalanche method focuses on paying down balances with the highest APR first while making minimum payments on other debts. This mathematically optimal approach minimizes total interest paid over time, making it ideal for those who prioritize maximum savings efficiency. With high-interest credit card debt averaging 18-24% APR, this method can save thousands in interest payments.

The snowball method targets debts from smallest to largest balance, regardless of interest rates. While potentially costing more in total interest, this psychological approach builds momentum through quick wins, providing motivation crucial for long-term success. Many find the emotional satisfaction of eliminating entire debt accounts helps maintain consistency in their debt elimination journey.

For retirement planning at 40, consider your personality type and financial discipline when choosing between these methods. If you’re motivated by mathematical optimization and can maintain focus on long-term goals, the avalanche method maximizes your available funds for retirement contributions. However, if you need psychological wins to stay committed to debt elimination, the snowball method’s momentum-building approach may prove more sustainable.

Prioritize Credit Card Debt Elimination Before Retirement Investing

With Americans between ages 50-64 carrying an average of $7,200 in credit card debt, eliminating high-interest credit card balances should take precedence over additional retirement investing beyond employer matches. Credit card interest rates typically range from 18-29%, far exceeding expected long-term investment returns.

The mathematical reality is compelling: paying off credit card debt guarantees a return equal to the interest rate, while investment returns remain uncertain. Before increasing retirement contributions beyond employer matching, focus on eliminating credit card balances that drain your cash flow through compound interest working against you.

This strategy frees up monthly cash flow that was previously servicing high-interest debt, creating more capacity for retirement savings once the debt is eliminated. The psychological benefit of removing this financial stress also improves your overall financial well-being and decision-making clarity.

Balance Mortgage Payoff Decisions With Investment Opportunities

Baby Boomers aged 57-75 currently hold mortgages averaging $198,203, highlighting the common challenge of carrying mortgage debt into retirement years. At 40, you have time to strategically balance mortgage payoff with investment opportunities.

Unlike high-interest credit card debt, mortgages typically carry lower interest rates and provide tax benefits through mortgage interest deductions. The decision becomes more nuanced when comparing your mortgage rate to potential investment returns. If your mortgage rate is 4% and you expect 7-8% long-term investment returns, directing extra funds toward retirement accounts may provide better wealth accumulation.

However, consider the peace of mind factor. Entering retirement debt-free eliminates fixed monthly obligations, reducing your required retirement income and providing flexibility during market downturns. Some prefer a balanced approach: making modest extra principal payments while maximizing retirement contributions.

Free Up Cash Flow for Increased Retirement Contributions

Strategic debt elimination creates a powerful multiplier effect for your retirement planning. Once high-interest debts are eliminated, redirect those monthly payments directly into retirement accounts rather than lifestyle inflation.

This approach transforms debt payments that were enriching creditors into wealth-building contributions that benefit your future self. For example, eliminating a $300 monthly credit card payment frees up $3,600 annually for retirement contributions. Invested consistently over 25 years at 7% returns, this could grow to over $200,000.

The key is maintaining the same budgeting discipline that enabled debt elimination. Automate the transition by setting up automatic transfers from checking to retirement accounts for the exact amount previously allocated to debt payments. This ensures the freed-up cash flow immediately serves your long-term financial goals rather than disappearing into increased spending.

With this systematic approach to debt elimination, you create the foundation for accelerated wealth building in your 40s, setting the stage for a more secure and comfortable retirement.

Plan for Healthcare Costs in Retirement

Estimate $172,500 needed for medical expenses after Medicare

Healthcare expenses represent one of the largest and most unpredictable costs in retirement financial planning. Research from the Employee Benefit Research Institute reveals that a 65-year-old couple could need as much as $366,000 in savings to have a 90% chance of covering their healthcare expenses throughout retirement, including premiums, deductibles, prescriptions, copays, and out-of-pocket costs. Even with Medicare coverage, retirees should plan for substantial medical expenses that can significantly impact their retirement savings.

The actual amount you’ll need depends on several critical factors. Your health status entering retirement plays the primary role in determining costs. If you smoke, maintain an unhealthy diet, avoid exercise, visit doctors frequently, or have chronic health conditions, you should plan to allocate more of your retirement income toward healthcare expenses. Your Medicare choices will also affect costs, as different coverage levels come with varying premiums and out-of-pocket maximums.

Geographic location influences healthcare costs significantly. While traditional Medicare coverage costs remain consistent nationwide, prescription coverage, supplemental plans, and private insurance can vary dramatically from state to state and even within regions of the same state.

Maximize Health Savings Account contributions for healthcare funding

Previously, we’ve discussed the importance of tax-advantaged savings vehicles, and Health Savings Accounts represent one of the most powerful tools for retirement healthcare planning. HSAs offer triple tax benefits: tax-deductible contributions, tax-free growth, and tax-free withdrawals for qualified medical expenses.

For 2025, you can contribute up to $4,300 for individual coverage and $8,550 for family coverage, with an additional $1,000 catch-up contribution for those 55 and older who aren’t enrolled in Medicare. These contribution limits increase to $4,400 and $8,750 respectively in 2026. Some plans allow you to invest HSA funds after meeting minimum account balances, enabling potential tax-free growth over time.

HSA withdrawals for qualified medical expenses remain tax and penalty-free throughout your lifetime, including Medicare and long-term care insurance premiums. After age 65, you can withdraw HSA funds for any purpose without penalty, though ordinary income taxes apply to non-medical expenses. This flexibility makes HSAs particularly valuable for retirement healthcare funding strategies.

Consider high-deductible health plans to enable HSA eligibility

Now that we have covered HSA benefits, it’s important to understand that eligibility requires enrollment in a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). During your employer’s open enrollment period, evaluate whether an HDHP with HSA access aligns with your healthcare needs and financial planning goals.

While HDHPs may not suit everyone’s current medical situation, they can be strategic for building long-term healthcare reserves. The higher deductibles mean you’ll pay more out-of-pocket for immediate medical expenses, but the tax advantages and investment growth potential of HSAs can offset these costs over time, especially for healthy individuals who don’t frequently utilize healthcare services.

Consider your current health status, expected medical needs, and risk tolerance when evaluating HDHP options. If you’re generally healthy and can afford to pay higher deductibles, the long-term benefits of HSA contributions often outweigh the immediate cost considerations.

Plan for long-term care insurance needs

With this in mind, next, we’ll examine long-term care planning, which represents a separate but critical component of retirement healthcare costs. Long-term care expenses include custodial assistance for daily living activities and pose significant financial risks without proper planning. These costs typically aren’t covered by Medicare, and very few retirees have insurance coverage for long-term care needs.

Long-term care insurance may seem expensive, with annual premiums averaging $2,610 for healthy 60-year-old males and $4,550 for females in 2025. However, considering the median annual cost of a private nursing home room reaches $127,750 in 2024, and the majority of people require some form of assistance in their later years, the cost of not having coverage often exceeds the premium expenses.

The most cost-effective time to purchase long-term care insurance is typically in your 50s to early 60s, before health issues develop that could increase premiums or limit coverage options. These premiums may be tax-deductible if your total medical expenses exceed 7.5% of your income. Consider working with a financial planner to structure insurance coverage that effectively manages future long-term care risks while exploring alternative strategies for funding potential care needs.

Establish Essential Estate Planning Documents

Create or Update Your Will and Beneficiary Designations

Your will serves as the cornerstone of your estate plan, dictating how your assets will be distributed after death. At 40, you likely have accumulated significant wealth and changed beneficiaries since your last update. Review all retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and investment accounts to ensure beneficiary designations align with your current wishes. These designations typically override your will, making regular updates critical for proper wealth transfer.

Set Up Living Trusts to Avoid Probate and Protect Assets

Living trusts offer powerful advantages for retirement planning by allowing your assets to bypass the costly probate process. A revocable living trust lets you maintain control while alive, then seamlessly transfers assets to beneficiaries upon death. This strategy protects your retirement savings from lengthy court proceedings and reduces administrative costs that could erode your family’s inheritance.

Designate Powers of Attorney for Financial and Healthcare Decisions

Powers of attorney become essential safeguards as you approach retirement age. A financial power of attorney allows a trusted person to manage your investment portfolio, retirement accounts, and other financial matters if you become incapacitated. Choose someone who understands your financial goals and retirement strategies. A healthcare power of attorney ensures medical decisions align with your preferences when you cannot communicate them yourself.

Draft Advance Healthcare Directives for Medical Preferences

Healthcare directives complement your retirement planning by addressing potential medical costs and treatment preferences. These documents outline your wishes for end-of-life care, potentially saving your family from difficult decisions while preserving retirement assets for intended beneficiaries. Include specific instructions about life-sustaining treatments, organ donation, and preferred healthcare facilities to guide your family during challenging times.

Your 40s represent a pivotal decade for retirement planning—a time when your peak earning years meet the urgent need for strategic wealth building. By establishing a strong financial foundation with proper budgeting, maximizing tax-advantaged savings through 401(k)s and IRAs, and protecting your assets with comprehensive insurance coverage, you create the framework for long-term financial security. The strategies we’ve covered—from eliminating high-interest debt to optimizing your investment portfolio for growth—work together to accelerate your path toward retirement readiness.

The power of time remains your greatest ally, but only if you act now. Every month you delay implementing these strategies costs you valuable compounding growth and brings you closer to retirement without adequate preparation. Start by calculating your specific retirement number, automating your savings, and maximizing your employer’s 401(k) match. Remember, retirement planning isn’t just about accumulating money—it’s about securing the freedom to live life on your terms. Your future self is counting on the decisions you make today, so take that first step and begin building the retirement you deserve.