Nearly every week some think tank, lobbying group or financial service company reports what sad shape Americans are in, or think they are in, when it comes to retirement. This week, for example, AARP, the lobby for those 50 and up, released a collection of research reports showing that if current trends continue, the living standards of middle class retirees are in for a big decline. (The papers were produced in cooperation with reputable academics, but are being used by AARP as part of its campaign against any Social Security cuts, including a change in the way the annual cost of living benefits boost is calculated.)  Meanwhile, financial advice firm HelloWallet was generating  buzz  (including on Forbes here and here) with a new report detailing how a quarter of folks have been “breaching” their retirement accounts and  incurring tax penalties and fees that could have been avoided if they’d built up emergency funds first, instead of stuffing all their savings into 401(k)s. (For help with that, see 11 Ways To Tap Retirement Cash Early Without  A Penalty.)