It's never too early in your career to plan for retirement. Even so, most people do not address retirement until right before the important date. But while immediate tax issues might be addressed in a short time frame, the ability to boost savings and help maximize your company benefits needs time to take advantage of total return compounding.

Preliminary Retirement Planning Questions

• What is the earliest age at which you would like to retire?
• What will your company retirement plans and other corporate benefits be worth at that time?
• How much independent investments/savings will you need outside of your company plans, that is, capital accumulation?
• What approximate after-tax lifestyle would you like to enjoy in retirement, including known obligations, using today's dollars?
• Housing- What should be done with the client's primary residence? What are the client's long term plans for housing?
• Health care- What options are available under the client's employee health plans? What private insurance is necessary to supplement employee benefits and government benefits?