For a lot of people, retirement is a finish line they're racing towards... but they've never thought about what will happen when they cross it. Figure out your path before you retire early.

Anyone who reaches age 70 ½ must start taking RMDs (Required Minimum Distributions) from their retirement accounts - and they have to pay income taxes on these distributions. But for those of you who are already planning to donate to charity, it's possible to donate directly from your individual retirement account as a QCD - a Qualified Charitable Distribution. This counts as part of your required minimum distribution, but the money isn't taxed - it goes straight to charity.

This is the most common question we hear from new clients, and we've developed a in-depth retirement review to walk you through the process of retirement planning. We want to make sure that you don't miss anything before heading into retirement. You need to have a rock solid plan so you know exactly what you need to do, and when you need to do it.

Although everyone needs to decide at some point whether they have enough money to retire, there are some challenges that are unique to early retirees. Here are some of the most important things to think about if you're considering retiring early.