Some Americans may be better prepared for retirement than they realize.

About 56% of baby boomers and Generation X (people between about age 38 and 65 now) are saving enough to cover their basic retirement costs, including uninsured medical expenses, according to a recent projection by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, a Washington-based nonprofit think tank.

The bad news is that 44% arent saving enough, and some of those people are on the lowest rungs of the income ladder, so they may have little opportunity to ramp up savings as they age.

Still, while some people face a troubling retirement outlook, others in that 44% group can take steps to get their savings on track.

Some Americans face a retirement crisis, but it isnt the majority, said Stephen Utkus, director of Vanguard Groups Center for Retirement Research.

For the longest time, studies have always pointed out that about 50% of Americans seem clearly ready for retirement, he says. But its a mistake to assume the other half is in deep trouble.

Instead, Utkus said, people fall along a spectrum of retirement readiness, with 20% to 30% of Americans partially ready for retirement.

A significant number of people can take some steps between now and retirement to move the dial and get to prepared, he said.

Here are four ideas to improve your retirement readiness.

1. Increase your savings rate 1% or 2% each year

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4 Ways to Avoid Your Own Retirement Crisis