There's more to add to your financial picture at retirement-the assets you've bought and taken care of during your working years.

Your Home
For many retirees, home equity is their most valuable asset. Do you own your home? Might you be able to pay off the mortgage by the time you retire? Do you think you might want to continue to live in the house? Do you think you might want a different house? The greater the value of your home, the more options you will have. You have, hopefully, figured your housing costs during retirement into your financial needs assessment. Remember that you are entitled to a capital gains exclusion from a sizeable portion of the profit you may get from the sale of your primary residence. A single person can exclude up to $250,000 and a married couple up to $500,000 of the capital gains from the sale of the primary residence.

Your Savings
Your personal savings outside of your retirement accounts could be an important part of your financial picture at retirement. Your personal money market accounts, CDs, and other savings accounts will provide you with additional cash in retirement years. Money you save earns interest in your savings accounts. The longer you leave the money in your account, the more it will earn as a result of compounding. Many financial Web sites offer calculators, which allow you to see exactly how much interest will be earned on a specific amount at a specific rate over a specific time frame. At http://www.bankrate.com you will also be able to calculate how much money you must save over a specified period of time to reach a savings dollar goal.

Investing Your Retirement Account Money.

Other Assets
Possessions such as jewelry, cars, and various collectibles that you own now or will acquire may also have significant value at retirement but normally will not contribute to your financial goals. If you anticipate assets like this, make very conservative estimates on their future value. You might also have hopes for a windfall. Perhaps you're in line for an inheritance, or maybe you'll win the lottery. For retirement planning purposes, let's hope for, but not plan on, these assets.