With Americans living longer and many making less in real dollars compared with previous generations, retirement satisfaction is declining.
Houston CPA and Rice Professor Michael Parmet says retirement isn't just about how much you've saved.
"And there are really three parts of retirement that make you really enjoy retirement; your wealth, your health and your happiness."
Parmet says it won't do much good to have millions if you can't walk.
"So the biggest plan for retirement is, you need to focus on your health early and then plan for happiness, not necessarily wealth, but happiness."
The Employee Benefit Research Institute says those who are very satisfied with retirement dropped from 60% in 1998 to just 48% in 2012.
Parmet says lots of us dream of travel in retirement but then find travel isn't as easy as it was in our youth.
"When you're young you sometimes take some wild day trip or a week driving your car; when you get elderly, due to health or various other reasons and whether you can afford it, you purchase those experiences."
Recent studies suggest a married couple will need at least $360,000 to cover medical costs and long-term care expenses during retirement.