1. Have you performed a comprehensive retirement needs calculation? In other words, do you know how much you need to save approximately for you to be able to enjoy a comfortable retirement? Have you estimated inflation and other factors?

2. Now that you know what your financial goals are, are you contributing enough to potentially reach your financial goal by the time you want to retire? If by maximizing contributions to tax-advantaged retirement accounts, such as your employer-sponsored retirement plan and an IRA you are still not covered, you better come up with some other way to save for your retirement.

3. Do you have your assets working for you in a way to grow your retirement in such a way that is you will met your retirement goal, risk tolerance levels, and time line?

4. Determine which type of IRA would suit your financial retirement needs better, a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA. And outline why.

5. Now, the question is whether or not you review your retirement portfolio each year and rebalance your asset allocation as necessary. Times change, sometimes investments are really profitable, sometimes they are not, so make needed adjustments each year as you plan for retirement.

6. Now ask yourself if you know the payout options available to you with your employer-sponsored retirement account, and have you reviewed the pros and cons of each option? Decide now which is going to work best for your needs.

7. Make sure that after you retire you will have proper health insurance and coverage so that your out of pocket medical expenses do not make you broke.

8. Contact Social Security to make sure your benefit statement and relevant personal information are accurate.

9. Decide whether or not to purchase long-term care insurance, and how much of it to purchase should you decide to.

10. Make sure your monthly asset allocation is enough for your comfort and monthly expenses.

11. Have you evaluated how much money you have, and how best to withdraw it so that it will last you as long as you need it to, possibly even 20-30 years?

12. Have you figured out the best way to reduce your tax burden once you're required to begin taking RMDs?

13. Do you have a will, a power of attorney, and someone to take charge of your health and other affairs if you become unable to do so?

14. Are all of your beneficiaries up-to-date?

15. Have you done your estate planning?

These are the things you need to consider and do before you retire. The sooner you start doing them, the more comfortable your retirement will be, the more fun it will be for you, and the less you will have to worry about your future, your livelihood, and whether or not you will have enough money to live comfortably the rest of your days.