Ready for your golden years? Men contribute nearly 50 percent more to their employer 401(k) plans each year than women, if women participate at all. “Working moms often focus less on future wealth-building and more on immediate family finances,” says Mary Quist- Newins, assistant professor of women’s studies at the American College in Bryn Mawr, PA. Plus, many of us take work leaves to care for children or aging parents. That can create a triple hit to retirement savings: less time to put money away, lower lifetime earnings and, finally, smaller Social Security checks. Quist-Newins’s plan for whipping your retirement into shape:

Contemplate.
What will your retirement look like? Hope to travel? Trade your big house for a lakeside cottage? Have your spouse think likewise, then compare notes. A clear picture of your future can make it easier to earmark money for it.

Calculate.
Determine how much you really need to live comfortably during retirement. Be conservative, and estimate your costs for living alone with only your own retirement plan balance and Social Security benefits plus half of any joint assets. Then use an online planning calculator (try dinkytown.net) to see what you need to save monthly to meet your goal.

Evaluate.
If your calculations suggest you’re behind on retirement saving, consider financial trade-offs: Can you plan to work additional years? Switch from part- to fulltime as your kids grow? You may need to put more into your own retirement fund now.

Act.
If your employer offers a retirement plan, sign up; if self-employed, establish a Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) or similar plan. If your workplace offers matching funds, contribute at least enough to get the match. Contribute what you can afford now, then aim to increase contributions by 1 to 2 percent every year.

Tip: For a fine-tuned retirement plan estimate, consider hiring a financial planner.