Even if retirement seems like a distant star, planning for retirement has become an issue that few can afford to ignore. Government programs — Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid — that have traditionally supplemented retirement are rapidly diminishing. Few will receive enough government support to live a comfortable lifestyle, much less take care of their basic needs, including health care. As a single mother, the responsibility to plan for your retirement falls squarely upon your shoulders. The sooner you face reality and begin, the better you will fare in your twilight years.