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If you haven't started already, start today. I began saving for my retirement when I was 16 years old. I am only saving 5% of my income in an investment for retirement, but as an 18 year old high school student, I have already saved nearly 1,000 dollars for my retirement. I was watching Oprah with my mother one day, and they were discussing finances and the difficulties that many adults have when it comes to financially planning for their retirement. They were talking about "paying yourself first". The more I thought about it, the more sense that it made to me. If they were talking about 35 year old adults saving 10% of their income and having one million dollars by the time they would retire, if I only saved 5% of my income and began at 16 years old, the numbers could be astronomical. Of course, I would be able to increase this percentage in my early 20's, as I would not yet have a family and would be earning more money than I am now (currently, an average of 500 dollars a month). I began talking to my father about my plans, thinking that I would just put this amount into a savings account, but he suggested opening an investment. I talked to an investor and opened a ROTH account. Not only am I putting my own money away now, but I am earning money without even lifting a finger. Why wouldn't you begin your investments now? Don't wait; open your retirement investment today.

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