Retirement secrets: How to act now for your future

(CBS News) Insuring a good retirement means acting now. But where should you start?

In the workplace, according to Donna Rosato, senior writer for Money magazine, that revealed the "Six Secrets of Retirement" in their latest cover story.

People think the key to a better retirement is to work longer, Rosato said, but a recent study by the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies said more than half of people 50 and older said that they would retire at 65 or older.

However, Rosato said, the reality is most people don't even make it to 65. "The median retirement age is 62," she said. "What you want to do is make sure you're constantly focusing on showing how valuable you are at work. That means showing that you're constantly learning, that you're taking on new responsibilities. And another thing that we advise people is to find a champion, someone who's going to be singing your praises when there are job cuts or promotions or layoffs."

Another way to make sure you have the retirement you are expecting is to save the appropriate amount. But how do you know how much to save?

The research shows you should save 16.6 percent of your annual income for an adequate retirement, according to Rosato. "The reason it's so specific is there was very detailed research out of American College which trains financial planners," she explained. "And they studied marketing conditions going back to the 19th century to figure out how much is a safe savings level that would help you sustain your pre-retirement income and post retirement income. It was 16.6 percent of your annual income."

"That doesn't include employer matches. What you want to make sure you're doing is the average person who participates in a 401(k) only puts in about eight to 10 percent, and that's not enough. You want to make sure you're doing more than maxing out your 401(k), saving in other taxable accounts like IRAs. And then you can get there."

But what about your debt from school loans or your mortgage? Check out more of Rosato's tips in the video above for her full rundown of retirement advice.