Hmm, I thought that you were a lot older than that. At 43 you should have many years to build your retirement pot.
I dont know how it works in the US but over here you have 3 routes. State pension which we pay into every month through national insurance. Work pensions,which vary according to how decent your employer is. And thirdly a private pension which you set up yourself. Its very complicated. I am 54 and have spent 6 months trying to work out what I can expect. Still dont know for sure. I have found about 80k in private pensions that I had forgotten about.
My advice to you is to put in what you can when you can. It will all add up in 20 years.
Its similar here.
1. I won't take money (Social Security) from the Governmenr. Healthcare either.
2. My company pension carves out the value of my Social Security payments. So I'll end up with fsr less since I wont taje Social Security money.
3. Im a spender nit a saver. I don't really trust the financial ststem.