(FORTUNE Magazine) – This is the perfect moment to pause. Indulge yourself in a daydream. For the first time in ages, it seems, the market isn't crashing around you. Indeed, the rally in stocks over the past year has been just strong enough to rekindle the fantasy. Not only is retirement beginning to feel possible again, but it feels full of possibility. Whatever your ideal retirement scenario might be--watching the sky turn tangerine orange as the sun sets on a windswept beach, casting a reel on a perfectly still mountain lake as dawn breaks--go ahead and picture it.

Now use that image to recommit yourself. Because although the good life is within your reach, achieving it requires planning. This special issue is designed to help you get started. To begin with, we'll help you figure out how much you'll need. Then check out our market-beating FORTUNE 40--the best stock and mutual fund picks for the year ahead. We also have 15 ways to max out your investment income and even some practical tips on how to "retire" to your dream job and fantasy home. The moment is here. Seize it.