A midlife money checkup

Your health isn't something you'd expect to review in a financial checkup. But what could have a greater impact on your retirement security? Your physical condition will dictate everything from your medical bills to how long you can work - in a recent McKinsey & Co. survey, 40% of retirees said they'd left the job earlier than planned largely because of health problems.

Unfortunately, the health outlook for boomers is far from bright. Despite a youth that spanned Jane Fonda workouts, spin classes and yoga, many are in poorer health than their parents, says Olivia Mitchell, head of the Pension Research Council at the Wharton School of Business. In a recent national health survey, many early boomers (those who are now in their mid-fifties to mid-sixties) reported difficulty walking one block or climbing a flight of stairs.

So what does it take to stay in shape? Just four healthy habits can help you live 14 years longer on average, according to a recent Cambridge University study: eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, regular exercise, moderate drinking and not smoking.

As longevity expert Laura Carstensen points out, if you maintain your health, you have nothing to fear from getting older. You'll actually leader a richer and more satisfying life.