Women in retirement may face unique challenges. While every woman’s situation in retirement is different, there are a few factors that tend to make retirement planning different for women than it is for men.
The first factor to consider is that women tend to live longer than men. Women typically outlive men by five to six years1. For women this means more time in retirement, which requires more planning to create necessary income. In addition, according to a study done by Forbes, women have to factor in having higher health care costs as they spend more of their time in retirement dealing with disabilities. This same study shows that, at 65 years old, women are expected to spend 3 years living with mild or moderate disability and 2.8 more years living severely disabled2.
Two additional factors to consider stem from women’s attitude toward finances. Women may be more risk averse and are typically comfortable with alternatives that carry less risk. They tend to invest in lower-risk, lower-return options3. Also, according to the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, on average women tend to feel less confident about making financial decisions. This study shows that only 12 percent of women are “very confident” in their ability to fully retire with a comfortable lifestyle4.
Regardless of age, lifestyle or marital status, I feel it is beneficial for women to know what important steps they should take regarding their finances.
Retirement is a unique experience for women, and there are different concerns and considerations that need to be addressed because of this. At Roosevelt Advisors, we can help create a retirement plan that fits women’s particular needs, goals and objectives and empowers them to take control of their financial life.
1http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-women-live-longer-than-men1/
2http://www.forbes.com/sites/pensionresearchcouncil/2015/04/08/retirement-planning-key-but-under-recognized-concerns-for-women/#23f297e8322c
3http://www.cnbc.com/2015/03/04/women-lagging-in-retirement-saving-survey.html
4http://www.transamericacenter.org/docs/default-source/women-and-retirement/tcrs2016_sr_womens_retirement_outlook.pdf