There are some investment vehicles that allow you to save and invest for retirement with tremendous tax benefits: 401(k)s, IRAs, Roth IRAs, etc.  Basically, traditional IRAs allow you to take the tax deductions today, but you will have to pay income taxes in the future when you take out distributions; meanwhile, Roth IRAs make you pay your taxes now, and grow tax-free for the rest of your life.  Nathaniel and Tim discussed the power of compounding and how you may benefit from long-term planning and investment strategy.  Remember, Social Security was never meant to cover all of your retirement expenses, and retirement account contributions are critical to almost everyone.  Discuss with your advisor and see if you should put more towards them.