Another way to look at it

The web is full of tools for figuring out if you're on track to have enough money saved for retirement. I kind of like Fidelity's myPlan tool -- it's simple-minded, and is biased toward higher amounts (like it doesn't include Social Security) -- but it lets you easily visualize the effect of changing savings rates and retirement dates on your outcome.


If you lean toward the wonkier end of things, check out the National Savings Rate Guidelines for Individuals, a very well thought-out paper from FPA.

But is how much money you have when you get old the most important factor for your late-life happiness? The financial services industry sure thinks so.


This poor woman. She's scrimped and saved her whole life so she could afford a decent bathing cap for the pool. But is that money really going to make her happy?