If you're an adult in your 20s, you are entering an exciting stage of life. Whether you've just graduated from college or are starting a new career, you will encounter many opportunities and challenges as you create a life of your own.

Women have different retirement concerns than men, which is understandable when you consider the challenges they face in achieving a financially secure retirement. Income disparities and time out of the workforce are among factors that will reduce retirement savings as well as Social Security and employer-provided retirement benefits.

In an ideal world, your retirement would be timed perfectly. You would be ready to leave the workforce, your debt would be paid off, and your nest egg would be large enough to provide a comfortable retirement--with some left over to leave a legacy for your heirs.

A 2015 study found that 41% of households headed by someone aged 55 to 64 had no retirement savings, and only about a third of them had a traditional pension. Among households in this age group with savings, the median amount was just $104,000.1

In the story of Alice in Wonderland, Alice arrives at a fork in the road and wonders aloud which road to take. A smiling Cheshire Cat appears and asks her what her destination is, to which she replies, “I don’t know.” The toothy cat then proffers the only possible response, “Well, then it doesn’t matter.”

If you're within 10 years of retirement, you've probably spent some time thinking about this major life change. The transition to retirement can seem a bit daunting, even overwhelming. If you find yourself wondering where to begin, the following points may help you focus.

Reassess your living expenses

You're about to receive a distribution from your 401(k) plan, and you're considering a rollover to a traditional IRA. While these transactions are normally straightforward and trouble free, there are some pitfalls you'll want to avoid.

“How much do I need to save for retirement?” That’s a question that you most likely have asked yourself many times. And you may find that your answer has changed from when you first started thinking about how you’d like to spend your retirement years.

In the story of Alice in Wonderland, Alice arrives at a fork in the road and wonders aloud which road to take. A smiling Cheshire Cat appears and asks her what her destination is, to which she replies, “I don’t know.” The toothy cat then proffers the only possible response, “Well, then it doesn’t matter.”

In the realm of investment advice, value is defined by what you receive from your advisory relationship that meets or exceeds your expectations.