It’s crucial to plan for the unexpected when you are planning for retirement. Any variety of post-retirement dangers, from unexpected death of your spouse to a protracted illness, stock market volatility, bankrupt pension plan or even unanticipated longevity, can derail the most meticulously crafted retirement plan. The risk of outliving your resources rises as individuals live longer and, in certain situations, are offered incentives or compelled to retire early. And the longer you wait to retire, the more difficult it will be to be assured of the sufficiency of your assets.