There's a persistent gap between what Americans expect retirement to look like and what it actually looks like.

• Why it matters: Most retirees are pleasantly surprised that they have enough money to live comfortably, even if they were worried about making ends meet.

🧮 By the numbers: Less than half of Americans who are still in the workforce say they expect to have enough money in retirement, according to the latest Gallup polling.

• One in five Americans say they don't think they'll ever retire, an Axios-Ipsos survey found.

But those grim expectations don't line up with reality.

• 74% of retirees say they're living comfortably.

Zoom out: Gallup surveys find a consistent retirement expectations gap over time.

• Explanations for the disconnect include the fact that people may end up downsizing or moving to cheaper cities after retiring, and saving money in unanticipated ways.

💡 Another big surprise is Social Security's role, Gallup notes.

• 35% of workers say they expect Social Security to be a major source of income after they leave the workforce, while 58% of retirees say it actually is a key source.
• Compare that to 401(k)s. 50% of workers project that their 401(k)s, IRAs or other retirement savings accounts will be a major source of retirement income, but just 29% of retirees say this is the case.

Today's sunset comes from reader Patti Scott, who sent this snap along after receiving it from her daughter, Meghan.

• "This is a photo of the sunset on Barnegat Bay in Lavallette, N.J. My daughter was on her vacation the last week of summer before school started. I think it's stunning; I hope you do too," she writes.