I am 45 with $40k saved. What should I do first?
Start with the full employer match, high-interest debt, a simple savings-rate increase, and a realistic retirement-age range. The goal is momentum and a measurable monthly change.
Accepted plain answer
The first move is not to solve every retirement variable. Capture the full employer match if available, avoid high-interest debt dragging the plan backward, increase tax-advantaged contributions in steps, and compare retiring at 65, 67, and 70. A late start is a gap, not a verdict.