Want to boost your score? Heres how

Here are some ways to boost your retirement readiness whether youre behind on your goals or are on track but maybe want to retire a little earlier.

My score needs attention.

An individual retirement account is one of the most popular ways to save for retirement given its large tax advantages. You can put in up to $6,000 a year. Learn more about opening an IRA

On my way, but I could close the gap.

The annual limit here is $19,000, but at least contribute to the point where youre getting all matching dollars your employer offers. See about increasing your 401(k) contributions

Im on track, but I want to do more.

A good advisor can help you understand complex issues, diagnose potential problems and take steps to plan for the future. And theyre not as expensive as you might think. Learn how to choose a financial advisor

A common guideline is that you should aim to replace 70% of your annual pre-retirement income. You can replace it using a combination of savings, investments, Social Security and any other income sources (part-time work, a pension, rental income, etc.). The Social Security Administration website has a number of calculators to help you estimate your benefits.

Its important to consider how your expenses will change in retirement. Some, like health care and travel, are likely to increase. But many recurring expenditures will go down: You no longer need to dedicate a portion of your income to saving for retirement. You may have paid off your mortgage and other loans. And your taxes are likely to be lower payroll taxes, which are taken out of each paycheck, will be eliminated completely.

Be sure to adjust based on your retirement plans. If you know you wont have a mortgage, for instance, maybe you plan to replace only 60%. If you want to travel every year, you might aim to replace 100% or even 110% of pre-retirement income.

First, enter your current age, income, savings balance and how much you save toward retirement each month. Thats enough to get a snapshot of where you stand.

Want to customize your results? Expanding the Optional settings lets you add what you expect to receive from Social Security, adjust your spending level in retirement, change expected retirement age and more.

Hover over or tap on the color bars in your results panel to get further insight into where you stand.

You can adjust your inputs to see how various actions, like saving more or planning to retire later, might affect your retirement goals.

Read more here:
Retirement Calculator | How much do you need to retire ...