There are things women can do to improve their financial outlook as they age. (Photo: Shutterstock)
Women have it tough when it comes to finances. Not only do they make substantially less than men, overall, they spend less time in the workforce, carry higher levels of college debt and often don't have access to a retirement plan at work.
All these things, in addition to others—serving as caregivers for family members (and devoting not just time but precious income to helping them), having less money with which to save for retirement, having to get by on lower Social Security because of years of lower income—all come together to create a perfect storm at retirement for many.
Women are more likely to end their days in poverty and to spend whatever they might have less on long-term care (since they're usually the caregivers, there's seldom anyone around to care for them when they need it).
But there are things women can do to improve their financial outlook as they age. According to Ellevest, women's salaries tend to hit their peak while they're still in their 40s, while men see salaries continue to rise into their 50s—so one thing older women can do is find ways to change that.
Whether it's jobhunting, now that employers are wary of asking for salary histories (meaning that those earlier and inferior salaries don't have to set the pattern for your next job), taking classes or certifying higher in their existing fields or moving to a new career path or taking on gig work, there are ways to make that plateau go away.
In fact, Ellevest points out a couple of other, less-thought-of strategies: serving on a board (a paid position) or even finding a younger colleague to act as a reverse mentor.
Then there are other ways to improve your existing financial situation. If you don't invest, why not? Don't feel up to it? Learn more about it so that your goals don't suffer because of low risk tolerance.
And compare the rates of return of your savings account to what you can make in the market—interest rates are no match for inflation, and the older you get the more everything will cost.
Women tend to be better at investing than men, by the way, according to a 2017 Fidelity study, although they lack men's confidence—but they don't invest as often, or as much. Change that and you can change how much is in your retirement account for the better—maybe a lot better.
If you have kids and they're grown, and if you've been paying their tab on anything from cellphones to student debt, consider cutting them loose—or at least cutting them down and saving the difference. You could always brainstorm with them about how to raise both your incomes or find better jobs, or both.
Jean Chatzky points out in a Next Avenue interview that continuing to pay your kids' way is “sabotaging your own future,” and suggests you have a sit-down with them in which you tell them, “I'm sorry, but I can't afford to do this for you right now. But I can sit down and help you try to figure out a way to do it yourself.”
And get comfortable talking about money. It's easier to learn what you need to know when you're willing to have discussions about what can be an uncomfortable subject.
Chatzky also suggests in the interview that “When you really talk more about it, you can take some of the emotion out of it and it becomes more a tool to help you get the life that you want.”
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Marlene Satter
Marlene Y. Satter has worked in and written about the financial industry for decades.
