Despite your good intentions, there are many ways you can botch your retirement.

Based on interviews with financial experts across the U.S. (Bankrate Oct. 9, 2007), here are some no-no’s when it comes to preparing for your later years:

• Neglect to include inflation in your retirement estimates. Something that costs $10,000 in 2008 will cost $22,628 in 2038, assuming an inflation rate of 2.2% that rises to 3% starting in 2017. And with longer life expectancies, it’s likely you’ll outlive your resources unless you boost your savings now.
• Buy more house than you can afford. With all costs of home ownership on the rise—property taxes, insurance premiums, and upkeep—you can't afford a fancy estate. Strive to be mortgage-free before you retire, and consider moving or downsizing.
• Dip into—or cash in—your 401(k). Cashing in your 401(k) when you leave a job is tempting, but it should be a last resort. Find other ways to pay off credit card debt or other bills.
• Count on a pension. Promised pensions can go away. Many companies have frozen their pension plans and ceased developing future benefits for some or all of their employees. However, the 2007 Retirement Confidence Survey conducted by the Employee Benefit Research Institute revealed that, among workers who have personally experienced reductions in the retirement benefits offered by their employer, nearly two out of five admit they have done nothing in response to these reductions (EBRI News April 11, 2007). Set up plan B and set aside your own funds for retirement.
• Count on your spouse or partner's income to always be there. Death and divorce change everything, particularly for those who assume someone else will take care of them.
• Rely on Social Security. There are no guarantees. The strain on the Social Security system is good reason for diversifying your retirement income sources with tax-favored investment vehicles such as 401(k)s and IRAs.
• Save for kids' college at the expense of your retirement. If you do this, you may be working until you die. Instead of letting your kids' college fund have the advantage over your retirement fund, pay yourself first. Consider loans, grants, scholarships, and part-time jobs to get the kids through college.
• Count on good health. You may be in great shape or perfect health now, but aging often brings declining health—even if you eat old-fashioned oatmeal with ground flaxseed and raisins every morning. And don't count on Medicare covering everything: Retirees often are underinsured for the expenses they'll encounter.
• Plan to work indefinitely. Be careful: Some professions have mandatory retirement ages, and age discrimination is alive and well. And don't forget that disability, disease, and other aging conditions may cut your career short.