Many seniors begin preparing for retirement, only to realize they’re not as prepared as they’d hoped.

Some people were never able to get started. They delayed planning, or had circumstances that made it hard to plan ahead. Others did save, but had life events come up that depleted their funds.

The latter case is what happened to this man, who, despite running a successful business, had misfortunes erode his retirement plan. As explained here, many people go through this, but it’s not a hopeless situation.

Even if a person isn’t ready for retirement, they can use smart planning, patience, and perseverance to prepare no matter their age.

We want to know — are you prepared for retirement? Share your thoughts with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Did you know seniors aren’t getting the full Social Security benefits they deserve? Sign our petition to demand fair COLAs and reimbursement for years skipped.