The days of retiring and enjoying the good life at age 65 or even 67 are long a thing of the past, but a new study shows that even 70 might still be too early.

Research from the nonprofit Employee Benefits Research Institute reveals that working to age 70 might give about 80 percent of pre-retirees, including lower-income Americans, adequate retirement income, The New York Times reported.

But income might not be enough.

Editor's Note: See the Disturbing Charts: 50% Unemployment, 90% Stock Market Crash, 100% Inflation

The study found that a shift away from pension plans and toward 401(k) accounts, unforeseen health events and other unexpected costs could disrupt retirement plans for a many betting that checkout time would come at age 70.

The study didn’t suggest that everyone should plan on working into their 80s, but rather encouraged workers not to plan on retiring at age 65.

“It’s much less risky than waiting until you’re 65 or 67 and seeing what happens,” said Jack VanDerhei, research director at the Employee Benefits Research Institute, The Times added.

A recent Gallup poll finds that American investors feel powerless to save and plan for retirement these days.

Fifty-seven percent of the investors polled said they felt they have little or no control over their efforts to build and maintain their retirement savings in the current environment, the polling firm found in a June survey.

The figure was basically unchanged from 58 percent feeling likewise in February, but down from 65 percent in September 2011, when the U.S. debt ceiling debacle nearly threw the country into default.

Thirty percent said they had quite a lot of control, while only 13 percent said they have a great deal of control.

High unemployment rates straining household finances, bloated government deficits, Wall Street volatility and a weak economy in general are making retirement planning difficult.

“Even as the May swoon on Wall Street was getting under way and the financial crisis in Europe was becoming more of an issue for the global economy, 57 percent of investors felt they had little or no control over building and maintaining their retirement savings,” Gallup reported.

“Further, 28 percent said their control over their retirement savings had decreased over the past six months. Little wonder why only 48 percent of investors in the most recent investor poll say now is a good time to invest in the financial markets, compared with 62 percent in February of last year.”

Editor's Note: See the Disturbing Charts: 50% Unemployment, 90% Stock Market Crash, 100% Inflation