(MONEY Magazine) – RETIREMENT PLANNING 8 On your mark, get set, GO! Start with the five most riveting reasons for beginning your retirement saving right now. by Eric Schurenberg

14 The life style factor How you decide to live after you leave work can be the biggest variable in your budget. by Holly Wheelwright

22 Worksheet: Your future cost of living

27 Putting a price on retirement Here's where you get to answer the central question: How much will you need? by Teresa Tritch

29 Worksheet: Running the numbers

39 How to size up a company offer A truly generous retirement package can be a blessing -- if you're ready to leave. by Eric Schurenberg

40 Does it pay to stay? 44 Avoiding the IRS penalty box 46 Taking -- and keeping -- your lump sum

55 The well-adjusted portfolio No matter what your age, your retirement fund must strike the right balance between risk and return. by Clint Willis

56 The mutual fund advantage 60 The 13 stars of a prize portfolio 62 Making hay with a 401(k) 64 The ins and outs of annuities

73 The truth about post-job jobs Is working worth it financially? Is it essential emotionally? Only you can decide. by Andrea Rock

76 Yipes! Earnings: $30,000; tax: $22,600

83 Cashing in on your big blue chip Trading down is the best way to draw money from your home. Next best: reverse mortgages. by Walter L. Updegrave

84 Where the living is easy and the taxes are low

91 Covering your longer life Medicare will pay only half your medical bills. Make sure you're protected for the rest. by Lani Luciano

92 When life insurance helps 99 All about Medicare

PROFILES 12 The making of a millionaire Retirement is far away for 30-year-old Laura Willits, but she's three years into saving for it. by Leslie N. Vreeland

50 Getting off to a smart start Eduardo and Debbie Solana have 25 years and $1 million to go to retirement. Can do. by Leslie N. Vreeland

80 Time to do the right thing Jim and Betty Ford could retire in two years -- if they can get ready financially. by Leslie N. Vreeland

102 Living off a well-tended garden Robert and Ann Schneeberg stayed with a generous employer. They have no regrets. by Leslie N. Vreeland

ESTATE PLANNING , 104 Keeping it all in the family With a well-drawn will and a few trusts, you can create an heir-friendly estate plan. by Denise M. Topolnicki

106 Worksheet: What your estate will owe

110 Trusts that protect your family These handy documents can preserve your legacy and keep your survivors out of probate court. by Denise M. Topolnicki

112 Trusts that safeguard your estate

117 How to pay zero estate taxes You may be able to avoid getting nicked entirely with an asset shift here, a trust there. by Denise M. Topolnicki

118 Sizing up tax-cutting trusts

126 Write your will now! It's the firm foundation of your estate plan, and it heads off four major troubles. by Denise M. Topolnicki

129 Glad you asked that Answers to your questions about retirement and estate planning. by Holly Wheelwright

Cover subject Besides saving for their retirement, Greg and Jeanine Casper have written wills that provide for their daughters Anye, 4, and Carrera, 2. Cover photograph by Rich Frishman.