I was laid off and forced to retire in my 50s. I wish I'd started planning sooner, but my investment portfolio helped — and life is good.

Courtesy of Chris Mott

I'm a veteran who has worked for various organizations and government jobs, including, at times, building and running companies. Like most people, I didn't really start thinking about retirement until I was past my mid-40s. My plan was to work until I was 65 or 70, but my wife apparently had a different idea.