Seventy-two percent of U.S. adults say they either don't have lifetime income options in retirement or are unaware of whether their employer offers them, according to a TIAA-CREF survey.

Thirty-four percent of respondents said their primary retirement savings goal is guaranteed monthly income. Another 40 percent want to ensure their savings are safe regardless of what happens in the market.

Only 21 percent of respondents said they expect to receive income from annuities.

The survey indicated there is a disconnect between the retirement income recommended by experts and the income Americans believe they need.

Most experts agree people need 70 to 90 percent of their pre-retirement income to live comfortably during retirement, says TIAA-CREF. But one-third of survey respondents who haven’t retired believe they will need only 25 to 50 percent of their pre-retirement income. Another third believe they will need 50 to 75 percent.

The survey also found respondents are unclear about how much they need to save. Experts recommend that Americans save at least 10 to 15 percent of their annual income for retirement, including contributions from their employers. However, the TIAA-CREF survey found that 44 percent of those who haven’t retired are saving 10 percent or less of their annual income and 21 percent aren’t saving for retirement at all.

The survey of 1,017 adults was conducted by an independent research firm between January 3 and 5.