For most Americans, retirement planning can be stressful.br Elizabeth White told Business Insider retirement planning three-legged stool propped up by workplace savings or pensions, your own savings, and Social Security.br To White, most people balance between self-directed retirement saving, mixed with stagnant wages, rising expenses, and high 401(k) fees.br Traditional pensions have fallen out of favor over a self-directed approach.br Most Americans haven't saved enough to keep up with their eventual expenses.