Women’s Retirement Challenges
Although the pandemic has made financial disparities between men and women more pronounced, women have long faced greater challenges in retirement than men, for multiple reasons.
Longevity: On average, American women live five years longer than men. According to recent CDC data, males typically live to be 76, while women reach the age of 81. So while wives are frequently caregivers for their husbands, they may have no one to provide help when they need it. It’s no wonder women account for more than 70 percent of nursing home residents.1 In addition to potentially greater long-term care expenses, longer lives result in increased general healthcare costs.
Pay gap: According to the most recent Census data from 2018, women still earn 82 cents for every $1 their male counterparts earn. Multiple reasons account for the disparities; one significant factor is the types of careers many women traditionally pursue.
Savings gap: Clearly, it’s harder to save when you earn less. But women are typically primary caregivers for children and aging parents as well – creating employment gaps in their careers. This not only impacts their personal savings and career advancement, it also affects their Social Security benefits, which are based on a worker’s top 35 years of indexed earnings.
Dependency: According to Boston College’s Center for Retirement Research, 46 percent of married women in their 50s living in a two-income household are at risk of not being able to maintain their standard of living during retirement. Possible explanations are many two-income households spend more, and frequently, only one spouse is covered by a company retirement plan. Furthermore, a recent UBS survey reports 58 percent of high-net-worth married, divorced, or widowed women defer long-term financial decisions to their spouses or ex-spouses.2
COVID: Recent school and daycare closures impacted women harder than men. And social distancing particularly hits women, who often work in service industries, own small retail businesses, or work part-time (with fewer safety nets).
The good news is, an awareness of these challenges can drive women to gain knowledge, take control of their situation, and save and invest well. Whether you are a single or married woman, we’ll make sure you have the knowledge you need to address your unique challenges and plan for a more secure retirement.
1https://www.investmentnews.com/long-term-care-womans-issue-192447