It’s hard to be optimistic about lots of things in today’s recession. So when the Employee Benefit Research Institute conducted its 19th annual retirement confidence survey, it’s not surprising that our optimism hit a record low.

The 2009 survey released today found that 13 percent of people said they were “very confident” of having enough money for a comfortable retirement. Last year, 18 percent expressed such confidence — which also was a record low since they survey started asking the question in 1993.

Workers say they plan to work longer and work in retirement to pad their income. The survey found that 28 percent changed their retirement date in the past year, and most of those expect to work longer to boost their nest eggs. About one in five plans to work into his or her 70s.

The survey also found that people who planned to continue working in retirement for extra cash rose to 72 percent this year. Just over one-third of retirees actually have a job in retirement.

The median age that people expect to retire is 65, the survey found. The median age they actually retired: 62. Nearly half of retirees said they left employment earlier than planned.

Among current retirees surveyed, only 20 percent — another record low — expressed high confidence of a financially secure retirement. Just two years ago, 41 percent were highly confident that their retirement would be financially fine.

Altogether, not a very optimistic picture. And it appears that what planned for retirement, doesn't quite fit reality. What do you think?

EBRI's survey is based on 1,257 phone interviews conducted in January.