Want to Retire Comfortably?

I am a retired Navy guy and now work as a contractor. I got into the investment game late in life, mainly because my Navy salary didn't go that far, the last thing I had extra money for was investments. On the plus side I do get a $1400 a month retirement check that adjusts for cost of living each year and cheap health care until I am 65. Anyway, I started a couple of mutual funds before the bubble burst last year with the intent to retire at 55. Atleast that it was what my financial advisor had planned out for me. I think 55 is a bit too young to retire a second time and will continue to work as long as I am able. My point is that, after I read these articles I get the idea I am going to be working until I drop dead. Is there any hope for a middle class guy who has played by the rules his whole life and might want to spend his last years on Earth enjoying himself and not worrying about having enough money to eat or buy pills to keep he alive? Just my .02.

Scott

My belief is that it currently takes a minimum $1 million bucks in liguidity to get in the US retirement door for the boomer generation. And quite frankly I think you need to be a multi-millionare. I want to retire next year and we will need to leave the country to do it. I work for one of the largest, most successful companies on earth... and they will charge me $20,000 per year for the Retirement Medical Plan in 2009 dollars. It will only go up every year after that. There is no way we can stay in the US unless we are willing to work forever.