Those who have a formal, written retirement plan are more likely to feel confident about their financial future.

According to a survey conducted by industry research group LIMRA’s Secure Retirement Institute, Americans say their primary financial concern is having a comfortable retirement, but 4 in 10 say they are not confident that they will actually have one.

"Part of their concern may involve a lack of regular saving," reads the LIMRA report, which notes that 80% of workers in the United States admit they need to save more in order to be on track for their retirement. LIMRA points out that those who work with a financial advisor are twice as likely to have developed a written plan that calculates assets and estimates what the person's income and expenses will be in retirement.

The survey revealed that 9 out of 10 Americans believe their written plan helps them to better understand their goals, and that 3 out of 4 say they were more likely to follow a written retirement plan. Overall, LIMRA says that 71% of those who work with an advisor are confident about saving enough for retirement, but only 43% who do their own planning say they feel confident about their financial future.

"While written retirement plans are beneficial to consumers, they also can be a valuable tool for advisors," concludes LIMRA. "Research shows that 83% of advisors say a written plan helps them to better understand their client’s goals, which in turn allows them to more effectively help their clients achieve their retirement goals."