To retire well, start saving yesterday

Some tips from those who did it right

If you want a blueprint for your retirement future, you could do worse than listen to Harry Winn.

Winn, 84, has been retired longer than many people have been working. He left his job as a chemical engineer in 1977, the year Jimmy Carter came into of ce and Star Wars opened in theaters.

As life expectancy expands, many more people will be looking at retirements as long — or longer — than Winn’s. That may be welcome news. But the downside is that you’ll have to nance much of that retirement yourself — without a guaranteed company pension. And if that’s the case, you should take Winn’s advice. Start saving early. Invest mainly in stocks. Look for a retirement job you’ll enjoy.

If you think you’ll have a long retirement— and youwant to enjoy it — those are the steps you’ll need to take. Unfortunately, most people haven’t taken them.

If you’re looking forward to a long retirement, you have good reason to. A woman age 65 has a 19% chance of living to 95; a man, 11%, according to the American Academy of Actuaries. Those odds get greater all the time, as scientists work to expand life spans. A woman reaching 65 in 2070 will have roughly a 28% chance of living to 95; a man, 23%. See COVER STORY on Page 9Au