I didn't start saving for retirement until my mid-30s and even that was too late. I probably won't ever be able to retire.

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• I'm sober now, but I was an addict most of my 20s and didn't save money.
• I'm in my late 30s and I don't know if I'll be able to afford retirement.
• I'm teaching my son financial literacy so he can be better prepared than I was.

I recently celebrated my 39th birthday, and I've made tremendous strides in managing my personal finances. Still, I'm regularly preoccupied with the thoughts that it's not enough. Not...