Now that you know what your anticipated income may be, and what your retirement expenses might be, you probably found that there is more anticipated out-go than income. Don't give up. You have several alternatives to help close the gap.

• Save more money. Surveys show that most American workers know their retirement savings and investments will not be enough to provide for a comfortable retirement.

  Thirty-nine percent of U.S. households have no retirement savings according to a study by Raddon Financial Group. Of the 61 percent who do have retirement savings, most have underestimated the amount they will need.

  Saving for retirement should be a part of everyday financial decisions. It should be considered when you are planning your career, changing jobs, when your children are small, and when they are in college.

  The earlier you start to save for retirement, the less you will have to save to meet your goals because of compounding interest. If you decide to retire early, you will have less time to save and will need to save more to cover a longer retirement.

  A woman who starts to save at age 50 by saving $500 per month in a retirement plan will never catch up with a 30-year old who saves $100 per month.

  To show how important it is to start saving early, look at how much you will have to save each month to accumulate $100,000 if you decide to wait until you can afford to save for retirement.

  Review the selections on spending, making credit work for you, and how to save. You may find additional ways to reduce your spending and eliminate excessive use of credit that you may have overlooked before.

  Each of the planning guides you have completed built on the skills and knowledge presented in previous guides. If you have applied this information, you have already started to provide for financial security in your retirement years. You will be more realistic about setting goals, able to identify potential problems, and solve those problems.

• Increase your income. By working overtime or taking a part-time job in addition to your full-time job, you can add to your savings program. You may wish to work part-time after retirement, but your health might not allow you to do this.

• Increase your retirement contributions. Completely fund your IRA each year and contribute as much as possible to tax-deferred programs such as 401(k), 403(b), Keogh, or SEP. Automatic deductions from your paycheck make it easier to save. (If you don't see it you can't spend it.) Funding your retirement accounts with pretax dollars will make a big difference in your final total.

• Delay retirement. By delaying retirement you will build additional Social Security, pension and retirement plan benefits. You will also reduce the number of years you will have to provide for.

• Reduce your retirement expenses. You may decide to move to a smaller home or apartment or to relocate in a less expensive part of the country.

• Tap into the equity in your home, by turning an asset into income.

• Sell your existing home and purchase a smaller, less expensive home and invest the proceeds; or rent elsewhere, and invest proceeds of the sale; or move elsewhere and rent or lease your former home. If you sell your home, be sure you can take advantage of the one-time $125,000 capital gains tax break.

• Consider a reverse mortgage, which will allow you to stay in your home and receive either a lump-sum payment or monthly payments based on your home equity, interest rates, and your life expectancy.

• A sale-leaseback on your home (usually to your children or another relative) allows you to sell your home and then lease it back. It gives you extra income, and the buyer gets a tax break.

• A home equity loan is possible but must be paid back with interest.