Retiring early: it's the new American dream, but whether it means traveling abroad, spending more time with family, pursuing a favorite hobby, or doing volunteer work, one thing is for certain-getting there won't be easy. With the average life expectancy increasing year after year, calling it quits early could mean living 30 years or more without a work-related income. Furthermore, with Social Security and traditional pension plans contributing less to our retirement savings, building a next egg that is large enough to cover this ever-increasing income gap will take a great deal of planning.