When a couple makes the decision to live exclusively on the salary of one spouse or partner, they may take the time to review their monthly cash flow and cut out any unnecessary expenses prior to making it official. However, a topic that is likely to be put on the back burner is the issue of retirement – specifically, how to save for two on the income of one.

Planning and saving for retirement as a one-income household presents its own unique challenges. Thankfully, there are a few planning tools available that are specifically designed with this group in mind.

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Right now, a growing number of employers are offering more tenured workers large, lump sum payments to turn in their key cards and credentials and retire early. In times of economic uncertainty, companies will immediately begin to reassess payroll costs and make decisions on how and where to reduce overhead to lower their fixed expenses. An early retirement offer typically includes a few months’ salary, extended health insurance coverage, and accelerated vesting on any 401(k), stock, or pension-related payouts owed.

These offers can sometimes be customized for individual employees. But in many cases, buyout offers are uniform and extend to an entire organization, a particular department, or to any employee who has fulfilled a minimum length of service. Early retirement packages often target people with seniority, a group that tends to earn higher salaries and have increased healthcare costs.

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When it comes to saving for retirement, it is never too early to start, but the last decade or so before you reach retirement age can be especially critical. By then, you will probably have a pretty good idea of when (or if) you want to retire, and, more importantly, still have some time to make any necessary adjustments. With the proper planning and a willingness to save and invest, the odds of catching up are not insurmountable.

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