9 dumbest retirement moves
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"A lot of people forget about becoming disabled," says Hodge. Diseases associated with aging, as well as other conditions, can physically limit what you can do, effectively cutting short your post-retirement career.

Do it right: Continuing to work may not be in the cards for you. Turn employment into one of many elements of your retirement picture, not a major and irreplaceable component.

Don't worry about health issues
You look great. You feel great. You're active and haven't been sick a day in your life. You're worried about your golf game, not health issues.

But like it or not, aging often means deteriorating health, even for those who think they've done everything right. And deteriorating health means more money for health care. Really bad health can force retirement off-track and turn your finances into a train wreck.

Besides the broken pension promises mentioned earlier, health benefits for retirees are slowly disappearing. According to a recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Hewitt Associates, the percentage of large companies (with 200 or more employees) offering these benefits fell from 66 percent in 1988 to 33 percent in 2005.

Medicare does not cover everything, so many health care expenses fall on underinsured retirees. For couples retiring today, Fidelity Investments recommends a reserve of $215,000 -- just to cover medical costs.

Besides saving up cash, you can be proactive and take care of yourself. "A lot of what people should and shouldn't do is well-known," Suzman says. "Get to an appropriate weight, and (take advantage of) all sorts of life-saving immunizations and tests."

Do it right: You can't forestall ill health forever, but you can live a healthier lifestyle starting now that will reduce your costs up the road. Eat less salty snack foods and more fruits and vegetables. Take daily walks or otherwise move your limbs. Your body will reward your efforts.

Unless you like the thought of pinning your future on shaky government programs or handouts from relatives, take charge now. Once you're comfortable that you're sufficiently preparing to meet your retirement goals, grab those clubs and hit the course or go putter in your garden. It's time to reward your forward-thinking with a few birdies or begonias.