Voters say lawmakers out of touch on retirement

Eddie Bostic of Baltimore, left, and other audience members, listen to Democratic senators speak at a "Back Off Social Security" rally on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, March 28, 2011. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

A recent study from the National Institute on Retirement Security shows that most Americans believe that politicians are out of touch with the realities of what it’s like to retire today.

According to the study, the 2011 Pensions and Retirement Security Study, nearly 9 out of 10 Americans (86 percent) believe the retirement system is under stress and needs to be reformed. Additionally, 80 percent of Americans believe that the recent economic downturn shows just how risky America’s retirement system can be, and 73 percent believe that stock market volatility makes it impossible for the average American to predict how much they will have in their nest egg when they retire.