Preparing for retirement

I can't help anyone with their retirement financial situation but I can share my experiences.  Number one, get organized.  Dedicate a notebook to jot down information and questions.  Number two, different people will tell you different things.  I know you're shocked!  Regarding Social Security and Medicare, I was told "it's too early to apply" and then "why didn't you call already?".  When you go online, you may not get the specific information you are looking for.  Be smart and make an appointment at the Social Security office on West St. in Danbury and they will take wonderful care of you, answer your questions and set it all up. 
Did you know that if you want to keep your full-time job and you have reached full retirement age, you can collect your full Social security.  Now that's a good deal.  Before that you have limits on how much you can earn before they deduct from your Social Security.
Medicare has 4 parts, A,B,C & D.  Part A is your hospital insurance.  Part B is your doctor visits and out patient services.  It's a good idea to get a supplementary plan such as AARP's for this part.  Part C is Medicare Advantage plans.  This is your decision whether to go with an approved insurance company that provides this coverage which is a combo of Part A & Part B. It is not necessary to have Part C. Part D is prescriptions and it is recommended to get a private insurance along with it.  
Now that I've gone through the process I think wow it all looks so easy.  The truth is that when you're going through it you may be working, have many things on your mind, feeling stressed and not sure if someone said something about Part B or Part D ( happened to me).  Hope my experiences have been helpful & Good Luck.