You've got more company than you think, and "behind" is a starting point rather than a verdict. Several things still move the outcome: what your life will cost, when you actually stop, what you set aside from here, and what other income you'll have. The worst move is deciding it's too late and doing nothing.
Behind Compared to What
Most "you should have this much by this age" guidance is built on averages that describe nobody in particular. Someone with a paid-off place and modest costs is in a different position than someone with the same savings and a mortgage.
Measure against your own costs, not a chart.
The Levers That Still Work
Working a little longer is the most powerful one, because it adds years of saving and removes years of drawing at the same time. Even part-time work early in retirement changes the arithmetic more than people expect.
Lowering what your life costs does double duty too — it reduces what you need to have saved at all. And tax law has provisions for people closer to retirement that your CPA can walk you through.
Start Where You Are
I had a heart attack at forty-six. The thing I'd tell anybody is that waiting for the right moment to get your house in order is how the moment gets decided for you.
Set something up this month, however small, then come talk through what the rest of it could look like.
Want a Straight Answer for Your Own Situation?
Thirty minutes, no pitch, no obligation — just a plain look at where you stand.