That scenario scares Jennie, 39, and Tom, 48, who like his father is a veteran public school educator. As parents of two girls, the Simi Valley couple want to make certain they have enough tucked away so they won't face a similar plight later.

"I think if my father had done things differently, maybe set aside more money, he would be able to have in-home care for my mother, which is what he really wanted," said Tom, who has taught physical education for the Simi Valley Unified School District for the past 24 years. "Because of what he's going through, we want to make sure we can take care of ourselves and not become a burden on our children."

The couple top priority is to set aside a large amount of retirement funds from their $67,000 gross annual income. In addition to Tom's $63,000 teaching salary, he earns extra income as a part-time sports broadcaster for a local cable station. Jennie stays home to care for the children.

"So many people think they have so much time to save, but now I know you have to start early," Tom said.

Despite their worries, David Little, a fee-only certified financial planner in Fullerton, said the couple will be on track for a comfortable retirement--if they increase their savings rate soon.

Currently, the couple's net worth is about $345,000. The bulk of that is $248,000 in equity in two homes in Simi Valley, one their residence and the other a rental.

They have about $26,000 in short-term savings as an emergency fund and about $52,000 in two annuity contracts.

The rest of their portfolio is in stock mutual funds and individual stocks.

Backing up their net worth is Tom's expected pension, administered by the California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS).

"It's the envy of everyone participating in Social Security," Little said of CalSTRS.

Assuming Tom receives a 3% pay raise each year, Little calculated that Tom will receive a $73,000 annual pension if he retires at age 65.

Still, given the effects of even modest inflation between now and then, the planner estimated that the couple will need close to $100,000 in annual income to maintain their lifestyle in retirement.

They could live on much less, of course, if they cut expenses. In any case, Tom and Jennie made clear that they want to accumulate an unusually large nest egg and are willing to embark on a more aggressive savings regimen than would most people at their income level.

Little encouraged them to boost their annual savings for retirement immediately to $7,700 a year, or $642 a month. Tom currently contributes $300 a month to his 403(b) tax-deferred retirement plan, which is similar to a 401(k) plan.

The planner suggested that $4,000 each year, or $2,000 for each of them, be directed to investments sheltered within Roth IRAs.

Little recommended funding Roth IRAs first because Roth withdrawals in retirement are tax-free. Roths are also easier to tap in an emergency than 403(b)s.

The remaining $3,700 a year could be saved through Tom's 403(b) plan, which would represent a small increase from what he is already contributing to the plan.

Tom only recently began saving through the 403(b) plan. The couple's biggest single financial investment is the $51,000 Tom has in a tax-deferred annuity through American Investors Life Insurance. But it earns just 5.1% a year in interest.