If, after 2008, you still expect the stock market to fund your retirement, most people probably consider you a few Congressmen short of a bailout. (Zing!) Yes, it was tough being openly optimistic after a year in which every bull became a steer.

The conventional wisdom is clear: Bonds are best for people in or near retirement. They provide the desired income and can be much more reliable than stocks. Well... yes and no, if you ask me.

A study states that the average woman works for 12 years fewer than the average man, makes $300,000 less than the average man in a lifetime and lives six years longer than the average man. All combined, it means that women have to plan for a longer retirement with less money.

For some, the ideal retirement may be sitting near the door steps of their house and watching the grandchildren play, for others it might be traveling around the world. Or it may be somewhere between these two extremes.