The most secure retirement benefits are those you build yourself. Start by assessing your future retirement benefits with your employer's human resources department. There you can find information about the plans you may be eligible for through your job.

You'll also need to review your personal assets. If you have an investment portfolio, rental property, or other assets, you may be able to utilize those assets to help build the retirement lifestyle you want.

Determining your retirement lifestyle
Whether you plan to retire early or you expect to keep working well into your late 60s and beyond, you'll probably need a substantial nest egg to maintain a comfortable lifestyle.

It makes sense to determine when you might like to retire, even if you are currently very young. You can always modify your plan later in life, but you might not reach your goal if you wait too long to start saving.

The earlier you plan to retire, the more money you'll need to accumulate. You'll also need to determine the lifestyle you hope to lead.

Some retirement estimators and calculators assume your expenses will drop after retirement. You may not agree, however, and you'll need to make personalized adjustments to this assumption. If you plan to travel extensively, for example, you may need more money than you're currently spending. You must also consider rising health care costs and increased need for health care as you age. Personal financial planning can help you make this determination.

Making retirement savings your top priority
No matter what your current age, retirement savings should be a top budget priority. If you're young, in your 20s for example, saving early will mean you can make smaller contributions and let the money grow for a longer period.

Compounding is a powerful tool with one requirement — time. The longer you allow your nest egg to grow, the more you'll have when you decide to retire. Of course, if you're already in your 30s, 40s, or 50s, it's not too late. You'll simply need to make larger contributions to catch up.

Contributing to your company-sponsored retirement plan
Even if you already have an IRA or you're very close to retirement, investing in your employer's retirement plan may be beneficial. Because you are typically investing pretax money in a company-sponsored plan, you'll cut your current tax liability. You may also benefit because these funds grow tax deferred until you begin withdrawals when you reach retirement.