The typical retirement plan devised by a financial advisor will call for you to manage your investments in stocks, bonds and cash so that they last through your projected life span.

In a world where political ideas come and go, trends surge and falter, revolutions bloom and then fade, a few foundational concepts for retirement remain true: Income is of prime importance, planning for your specific circumstances will increase your financial stability, most retirement calculators are seriously flawed, and you can lessen—but not eliminate—the burden of taxes.

In many ways, single women face the same problems as men when they consider how to retire with enough income, with one exception: They worry more.