Only about half of Americans have a retirement plan.  And these days, more women are relying on Social Security income in their retirement years.

"Women typically need ot be a little more concerned on not relying too heavily on Social Security," said Kelli Tampio, a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones.  "One reason for this is they are living longer lives.  Another is that, unfortunately, their earnings may not be as large as their male counterparts.  And a lot of times they're taking care of family - children and aging parents - which takes us away from the workforce."

She recommends taking advantage of employer-sponsored 410k plans.

"I would advise to do at least the minimum of what the employer is matching," she said.   "If they don't have a plan there are other ways to set money aside through IRA's and it's great for them to start that process.   I tell clients that retirement is built on time and money, so that's they way to set yourself up for success."

Getting started can be a challenge, but every little bit helps.

"Start off small," Tampio said.   "When you get raises you can gradually increase your savings.  Think of it as running a marathon; it's going to take a long time to build that retirement savings plan and you're going to have to be patient.  A lot of times people get overwhelmed, but hopefully they're working with a financial professional and they're checking in on their progress; that's very important."

Ultimately, she says, the goal is to prepare for the retirement that you want.

"When I meet with clients,  I want them to be able to sustain their current lifestyle," Tampio said.  I don't want them to have to cut back on things.  So what I want them to do is sit down, get a plan going, adjust the plan as life adjusts, and hopefully when the time comes, enjoy their retirement goals.  The goal is to not be dependent on Social Security, to have a plan in place so they can enjoy their retirement years.  The earlier you start the better off you are going to be - time is money."