The Goodmans

The odds of enjoying a longer life are greater than ever before for many Americans. And people aren't just living to more advanced ages than any previous generation—they're also staying healthy and active longer into retirement. "The idea that most of us can live a good quality of life well beyond our eighties takes most people by surprise," says Dr. Thomas Perls, director of an ongoing Boston University study of centenarians.

That's the good news, but it comes with a big challenge: How are you going to pay for all those years of healthy, vibrant living? For answers, we turned to some people who are well on the way to a long and comfortable retirement. Here are the smart money moves that got them there.