Print edition: 
CHICAGO — Single people get left out of the picture a lot when it comes to retirement. Typically it's smiling couples who are shown contemplating their sunset years in ads, brochures and magazines.
The big picture is about to change, however. Financially ready or not, a wave of single baby boomers is poised to alter the face of retirement, bringing a new set of planning priorities into focus.
With no spouse to rely on, extra precautions are needed in order to be well-positioned for retirement. That holds especially true for women because they live longer. Three of every four single people age 65 or older are women.
Here are some retirement planning priorities that single people in particular should focus on:
1. Save, or pay a price. The cost of living for single retirees is about 40 percent higher than for couples, according to the American Academy of Actuaries. That's because couples can share housing and other expenses.
Roughly half of all people age 55 and over — single and married alike — have saved less than $50,000, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute.
2. Calculate retirement income. The traditional three-legged stool approach to retirement security — employer pension, Social Security and personal savings — is a bit lopsided for single people because of their heavy reliance on Social Security.
Social Security benefits account for 90 percent of income for 4 of every 10 unmarried retirees and 2 of every 10 married couples, according to the Social Security Administration.
Singles may want to also consider buying an annuity to provide an additional stream of regular income.
Go to the Social Security site (www.ssa.gov) to estimate how much you will receive from the government at various retirement dates. It's a good idea financially to wait at least until full retirement age before starting your benefits.
3. Get disability insurance. Who's going to pay for your retirement if you have a serious accident or prolonged illness that prevents you from working?
Single people generally don't have the ready solution that married couples do. That makes long-term disability insurance all the more important so their retirement security isn't ruined by a medical issue.
Employer-paid disability insurance is required in most states. But confirm that your employer offers long-term disability coverage — not just short-term, also known as sick leave.
4. Make long-term care insurance a priority. Long-term care insurance is a critical part of single people's retirement plans because there's likely no one else to take care of them. As opposed to long-term disability insurance, long-term care coverage helps pay for professional care when you can no longer perform the regular activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing and eating.
It can run $2,000 a year or more if you wait until your 60s to get it, less if you get it earlier.
5. Do thorough estate planning. Consider meeting with an estate planning lawyer to get the proper documentation in place. You'll need a will to state how you want your assets distributed after your death, a health care proxy and living will should you become incapacitated and unable to make medical decisions, and a durable power of attorney for finances to allow someone to handle your money matters in an emergency.
