5 things to do before you retire

Retirement may be right around the corner, but if you haven't taken these final steps, you probably aren't ready to say goodbye to your colleagues and settle down in the rocker.

As Liz Pulliam Weston says in her excellent roundup of retirement-readiness tips, "Be sure that you've taken care of these details. You could save yourself a whole lot of money and regret later."

Doing her lengthy to-do list can't hurt, but here are five essential steps that you really shouldn't overlook: