(NAPSA}—As more and more Americans plan their road to retirement, the question for many has beeome a practical one: How much will it cost to live on easy street? Experts say the answer depends mostly on twofactors: life span and cost of living. While life span is abnost impossible to predict, cost of living can be calculated. For example, if a couple earned an annual income of $110,006 a year experts say their estimated retirement needs would be $82,000 annually Gmnoest people will need between 75 and 80 percent of their pre-retirement incomes to maintain their standards ofliving). How much will that couple need to have saved? Would one mullon dears be enough? The answer may surprise you. Tf inflation were to average just four pereent, the couple would need an annual income of $104,000 just six years from when they begin retirement to maintain their standardof iving. That sura would increase to $127,000 after five more years, and $278,000 after 25 years. Even if their one milliondallar portfolio outpaced inflation by two percent annually, the couple would still need to cut their cost of living every year or face running outof money. That's why many financial experts stress the fact that when people stop working, their portfohes can’t. They say it is important for people to develop a financial plan before they retire and continue to actively manage their money after they stop working. Fortunately, a numberof online financial tools can help people do just that. For example, The Retirement Planner (found online To maintain their standards of living, most people will need to work on their portfolios before and during retirement. at CNBC on MSN Moneyfrom Microsoft} helps consumers map out their long-term financial goals while allowing them to analyze and optimize their retirement holdings. Consumers can then use the site to double check their investment strategies by running simulations that let thera see how their decisions affect their retirement goals. The site works in conjunction with mPower, a leader in online advice, to provide personalized guidance that helps investors reallocate their holdings as the market and their financial situation changes. The result: investors keep their portfoho working hard to meet long-term financial objectives, such as securing that retirementplace on Easy Street. CNBC on MSN Moneyis located exclusively on MSN. To learn moore, visit Attp-//wuww.money.msi.com, itp/lwww.cnbe.com or MSN at hittp-//lwww.msn.com.
