Retirement planning begins now.

Every day, couples like Dennis and Tiffany White go off to work trying to make a better life for themselves and their families. As commendable as that is, it would mean virtually nothing at all if they were not actively planning for their retirement along the way. They're not just working to keep up the appearance of wealth. By planning for their retirement, the Whites are creating a legacy of real wealth that will carry them through their later years.

You see, the Whites get it. The thirty something couple, featured in our "Smart Retirement Planning for Every Age" feature in this issue, have $92,000 in an IRA, which includes the $32,000 Dennis received from a defined benefit pension plan. Tiffany has $11,000 in her 401(k) and a separate IRA with more than $6,500. And the couple owns a four-unit rental property, which provides them a profit of $400 a month. These different investment vehicles place them well on the road to building the type of nest egg necessary for them to retire wealthy.

Don't you want to retire wealthy? How do you intend to make that happen? There are many obstacles. Housing prices are skyrocketing. Interest rates on everything from credit cards to car loans are increasing, making luxuries more unattainable. And the rising cost of energy is inflating the price of just about everything we purchase.

The government isn't much help either. The Social Security system is strained and there is no telling what its ultimate fate will be. According to the White House, there were 16 workers to support every one beneficiary of Social Security in 1950. Today, there are only 3.3 workers supporting every Social Security beneficiary. It's clear that you can no longer go to work, pay into Social Security, and trust that it will take care of you when your golden years arrive. Since African Americans are historically more reliant upon Social Security than other racial groups, we're going to have to take matters into our own hands.

But where to start? We've got the answers. In "Retirement Planning for Every Age," BLACK ENTERPRISE provides a blueprint for whatever stage of life you're in. Told through the eyes of individuals in six different life circumstances, and full of useful investment advice, each story offers critical information that can put you closer to realizing a secure retirement or, with the proper preparation, an early retirement.

"The importance of retirement planning often gets lost while we're chasing after fun or dealing with life's everyday challenges," says Personal Finance Editor Matthew S. Scott, who developed this issue's retirement package. "We want to remind everyone that it's your responsibility to safeguard your own financial future. That means taking responsibility right now."

So what are you waiting for? As the baby boomers will attest, Americans are living longer these days, which means you have more time to catch up on your retirement contributions if you haven't started and more time to increase your nest egg. Retirement planning is perhaps the single most important life-sustaining exercise in which you can engage. Remember, if you don't care enough to save and invest in your own future, who will?--The Editors