Is it any wonder that Merriam's dictionary list words like recession, retreat and withdrawal as synonyms for the word retirement? Not particularly positive connotations for something that many of us have looked forward to for so long.

We've all been battered by the recession. Do we want to associate life after 50 with this kind of negativity? I don't.

And retreat. There's a defeatist word if I've ever heard one. I was never in the military, but I'm pretty certain that soldiers never want to retreat. That's losing, right? And nobody wants to lose. Again, I know that I don't.

How about withdrawal. Apart from being the addict's worst nightmare, I think about withdrawals in terms of my bank account. And I'd much rather be making deposits.

So there we have 3 synonyms for retirement, all negative. As far as I'm concerned, that would give the word retirement itself a negative connotation too, wouldn't it?

My point is this - we Baby Boomers have spent so long thinking about retirement, that we might have lost sight of what retirement really is. Perhaps we should revisit the whole concept, and see if it still applies.

With the economy the way it is, for many Boomers, retirement isn't even the issue - survival is. Jobs have been threatened, or completely lost. Investment portfolios have vaporized. Many homes are worth less than what we paid for them.

There's a reason for this, and it may surprise you.

The fact of the matter is that even in these difficult times, there are people that are making money - lots of money.

It's been called a conspiracy against your money, and it's real. Did you know that the Federal Reserve Bank isn't a government institution at all? It's a profit making enterprise.

And how could our supposedly diligent and caring government possibly miss the signs of impending financial meltdown before it happened? Even worse, after it happened what did the government do? Spent your money to bail out the banks and big businesses that lost it in the first place.

Of course, it didn't take long for the shock to wear off. Less than 2 years after the bailout, the bigwigs were back to their old ways, paying multi million dollar bonuses to each other.

I thought a bonus was paid for outstanding performance. These guys darn near drove us all into bankruptcy. I think they should be paying us.

The conspiracy against your money is driving a wealth transfer that is already under way. Over the next several years, $50 trillion will change hands—going from those who have no idea what's happening to those who are calling the shots.

Make no mistake about it. This wealth transfer is happening right now. We're already in Phase II. Whether you're aware of it or not, it's going on all around you.

If you don't believe it, healthy skepticism is good. But just stop and think for a moment - does everything seem to be in order? Even if you are not a trained economist, common sense and your personal instincts should tell you otherwise.

If there seems to be a disconnect between what the mainstream media is saying and your personal financial reality, that's because there is a disconnect. The media is part of this problem.

The reality is that you are unknowingly part of a cycle of debt and lack of abundance. That's the conspiracy at work. If you're in that position, there are others who are profiting from it. This is how the economy works - it's a fundamental and ongoing transfer of wealth.

It's not just you, by the way. Virtually all of the worlds industrialize nations are facing the same problem. They are all in debt, and all under capitalized. These countries are laboring under massive, multi trillion dollar debts that can never be repaid - it's financially impossible for repayment to occur.

But here's the thing. Throughout history, whenever upheaval like this occurs, there is a corresponding proliferation of opportunity. After realizing this, all that's required is the knowledge of what needs to be done, and how to do it.

Capitalizing on these opportunities requires preparation, planning and sound execution. With that said, anybody can do it. It's not hard if go about it correctly.

The first step is to stop thinking about a comfortable retirement - in today's world there is not such thing - and start focusing on Crashproof Prosperity. This model will enable you not only to survive a broken system, but to profit from it.

 Crashproof Prosperity is a process of education, critical thinking and action. It's also about going against the status quo and doing what you know is right - not what the conspiracy against your money wants you to do.

You will need to step out of your comfort zone somewhat to make this happen and to truly create Crashproof Prosperity. But if you do nothing, and try to ease into retirement using the old paradigm of working hard, investing and relaxing, guess what - you're going to wind up outside your comfort zone anyway. The conspiracy against your money will see to that.

It's time to change your beliefs and your core assumptions. Regardless of how old you are, regardless of how financially secure - or insecure - you are , regardless of what you do for a living, banish the thought of a passive, sedentary retirement.

Take control of your life, take control of your finances and take control of your future. Replace the retirement state of mind with Crashproof Prosperity. Don't focus on survival. Focus on abundance, abundance that flows into your life regardless of what's going on around you, and regardless of the hardships that others are facing.

You can do this. Remember, a massive transfer of wealth by definition means there are also massive opportunities for financial growth. Particularly if you are a Baby Boomer there has never been a better time - in your entire lifetime - to build solid generational wealth. It's time to create your financial legacy.

 Stop worrying about the future. Focus on achieving Crashproof Prosperity, and start taking advantage of the opportunities that are rightfully yours.