The Hewitt survey says that U.S. residents should save an amount equal to 15.7 times their annual salary. If you earn $60,000 a year, then, you should have $942,000 stashed away to cover their retirement years.

How are you faring? Are you anywhere near the figure that Hewitt Associates suggests is ideal for you? If you’re like most people, you’re not.

According to the Hewitt Associates survey, four out of five U.S. residents are not on pace to meet the 15.7 standard. This probably shouldn’t be too surprising. U.S. society long hasn’t placed much value on saving. Instead, consumers are encouraged to go out and spend. Even the federal government prefers consumers to spend their money. It’s the engine that makes capitalism go.

Couple that with the Great Recession, and saving for retirement has become even rarer. A significant number of people today are worried about how they’ll pay next month’s mortgage bill. They’re worried that their job will disappear next week. And they wonder how they’ll make up the lost income from all the unpaid days off their bosses are forcing them to take.

Saving for retirement isn’t even on the radar screen for these U.S. consumers. And who can blame them, what with the national unemployment rate still hovering dangerously close to 10 percent? It’s little surprise that so many U.S. residents treat saving for their retirement years as a luxury that they simply can’t afford.

A closer look at the Hewitt Associates survey produces some interesting data. According to the numbers, the typical U.S. consumer can expect Social Security to provide a total income equal to 4.7 times their final annual salary. To meet the Hewitt goal of 15.7, then, U.S. consumers have to come up with an amount equal to 11 times their last annual salary from other sources.

These sources can be anything from 401(k) plans, stock market investments, real estate sales, CDs, savings accounts or annuities. The types of vehicles don’t matter. What is important is that you have enough income streams from all your investment vehicles to live out your retirement years in comfort.

Retirement should be a reward for a life of hard work. Don’t ruin your golden years by not saving enough to make them as stress-free as possible.