A survey conducted on behalf of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association found that nearly a third of American adults describe themselves as either “apprehensive,” “panicked” or “clueless” about their retirement preparedness.

A quarter of those on the verge of retirement (ages 55-64) acknowledge they have not done enough to prepare. The survey also found: as retirement approaches, but is still some distance away, reality begins to sink in and Americans become increasingly apprehensive. Discomfort about the prospect of retirement is higher for the 45-54 age group than it is for those younger or older — with 38% of Americans in this age cohort expressing some level of apprehension or related concern about retirement.

For many of them, that apprehension is not likely to decline as they get closer to retirement. Among those 55-64, 30% still describe their emotional state regarding their financial preparation for retirement as well short of comfortable.

Respondents who have consulted a financial professional are much more likely to be comfortable/confident about retirement than those who have not (78% vs 58%).

“The first step is stop panicking and start planning,” said Marc Lackritz, president and CEO of SIFMA. “As the survey results show, talking to a financial professional can jumpstart a person’s confidence about retirement readiness.”

SIFMA also noted that for a substantial portion of Americans, even many who are near retirement age, the problem is not as simple as “they aren’t saving enough.” Nearly 30% of respondents are truly focused on finding the money that could potentially be saved. Another third feels they may have the money, but they don’t know how to manage it. The last third (34%) continue to struggle with the challenges of getting started, of focusing on saving, or of finding the right kinds of help.

Trends among the young tech-savvy population to take interest in their retirement planning are encouraging, SIFMA added. Those 18-34 are equally as likely to have either used Tivo (23%) or voted for an American Idol contestant (24%) as to have used a retirement calculator (22%).

“It’s encouraging to see younger generations taking time to learn about retirement planning,” noted Lackritz. “They will need more retirement savings than their parents do. By saving early and saving often – they will have a huge advantage on a sound retirement plan.”

Lackritz adds, “Perhaps these younger generations will prove to us older folks they are not American Idles.”

The survey is the result of a telephone poll of 1,000 respondents, and was conducted from May 29-31, by Artemis Strategy Group. The data are weighted to give appropriate representation on various demographic factors, including: age, income, the four national census regions and gender.