When using an online retirement calculator to weigh your options for an early retirement, there are certain pieces of information you will need to enter. Collecting this information before you go online will save you time, hassle, and stress, reducing the risk of not being able to find the information you need, or just as frustrating, entering it only to lose your connection and have to start all over again.

Retirement planning details can get complex, but the pillars of a secure retirement come down to following a few common-sense principles and doing the math. Here are the five biggest keys to planning your financial future after you retire.

A big key to how to retire without money is having one or more alternate income resources to replace your job or pension. Your alternate income source can come from one stream or multiple streams, including investments, rent, royalties, contracting, consulting, brokering services, selling information, earning commissions, and franchising.