The recession is trimming how much people can put toward retirement and forcing more people to delay the start of their post-work life, a new survey found.

The recession has required 39% of Americans to save less for their retirements, according to a new COUNTRY Financial Survey of 3,000 Americans.

Thirty-five percent of Americans believe it is possible for a typical middle-income family to save for a secure retirement, the survey found.

Despite the recession, the number is largely unchanged from last year (36%) and 2007 (37%), when the economy was much better and people had more income to put toward retirement funding.

The recession will cause about 26% of respondents to delay their retirement, the study found.

“It’s encouraging that all the bad news has not caused people to give up hope,” says Keith Brannan, vice president of Financial Security Planning at COUNTRY.

The research indicates that 23% of Americans who participate in a work-sponsored plan like 401(k) say their employer has cut contributions to their retirement account.