By Nanci Hellmich, USA Today

Many women have a “quiet fear” that they won’t have enough money for retirement, but they can take several steps to make sure that doesn’t happen.

“The key is to continue earning throughout retirement and to find ways to create income for life,” says Donna Phelan, 62, who has worked with thousands of women nationwide during her 18 years with several large Wall Street investment firms. She has an MBA in finance and is the author of a new book, Women, Money & Prosperity: A Sister’s Perspective on How to Retire Well.

Research shows that women often have far less saved for retirement than men, Phelan says. They frequently earn less than men and often take time out of their careers to rear children. They also spend more time with elder care. Some women don’t start thinking about their retirement savings until late in life, and by then it’s hard to save enough, she says.

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