Tips to improve bleak retirement outlook

Long-term unemployment has a big effect on workers' retirement outlook.

The Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies has published data and tips, including:

* 36 percent of displaced workers reported having less than $10,000 in total household retirement accounts.

* 50 percent have tapped their savings, 32 percent have used credit cards, and 22 percent have taken withdrawals from their retirement accounts.

* Workers who have been unemployed or underemployed for less than a year are more likely to looking for work (59 percent), while after one year, those who have been unemployed become more likely to stop looking for work (7 precent), to retire (14 percent), or to find full-time underemployment (39 percent).

The report suggests possible ways to improve retirement income prospects while in a job hunt.