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Whatever your retirement dreams are, if you want to reach them, you need a plan. Otherwise, by the time you find yourself financially able to quit work, you may not be physically able to pursue your passions. The key is knowing how you'd spend your golden years if money were no object.

Recent government reports confirm that Social Security's finances are still falling apart, and apparently they're getting worse at an ever-faster pace. That shouldn't come as a surprise, and you need to prepare.

Ahead of AARP's planned "secret" salon on the future of Social Security, we offer two retirement experts' dramatically different proposals for solving the crisis. Chuck Saletta's view: You can't fix the program with tweaks and small changes.

Everyone's predicting the worst for Social Security. But should the chance of cuts in a quarter-century really have us in a panic today? Retirement expert Dan Caplinger explains why there's really no need for major changes.

The fees hidden in 401(k)s aren't standard, which means you could be paying more than your friends, family or coworkers. But what%u2019s scary is that most Americans don%u2019t even know money is being sucked out of their 401(k) -- and that%u2019s just the way most plan providers want it.

Planning for a happy retirement takes foresight, a lifetime of saving money and little luck. But planning for love? That might cost you. The choices for how we spend our golden years -- and how much we spend -- have a big impact on our social lives, and our chances of discovering new love.

For the first time, there's a state-by-state scorecard of America's performance in providing long-term services and support to senior citizens and people with disabilities, and the results aren't much to brag about. But they do point the way toward improving the long-term care system -- and saving the nation billions.

The reverse mortgage was invented to help seniors facing economic hardship access the equity in their homes. But these loan products are complicated, expensive and ripe for abuse, which lead a reader named Fred to ask DailyFinance's Laura Rowley for some advice. Here's what she told him:

An estimated two-thirds of baby boomer households will receive an inheritance at some point, with a median amount of $64,000, according to an AARP study. I recently received an email from a reader who has fallen deeply into debt in anticipation of her legacy -- and is now worried that her bailout may not be at hand.

AARP The Magazine examined 350 cities across the country to determine the top 10 retirement destinations for a fabulous lifestyle without outrageous costs. And you don't have to be a senior to appreciate their many affordable charms.