Why retirement planning is different for women

The National Institute on Retirement Security reports that women at retirement age are 80% more likely than men to be in poverty.

The same report states that 401(k)-type retirement accounts have balances 34 percent less than men’s, and they’re 3 percent less likely to be eligible for their employers’ retirement plans than men are.

Factors like longer lifespans and leaving the workforce to care for children or aging parents puts the balances women’s retirement funds at a disadvantage, also according to the NIRS.

Many women get divorced. If you are married for less than 10 years, you aren’t able to receive benefits based on your ex-husband’s Social Security. If you do remarry, you will forfeit the Social Security benefits from your first husband and potentially not get any benefits from your next husband. These factors make planning for a woman’s retirement that much more challenging. Popular calculators don’t effectively address women’s retirement issues. These tools use straight-line calculations such as income and rate of inflation.

If you are woman contemplating retirement and need advice on different strategies, contact Stevie Swain at Swain Consulting. She and her consultant partners can help you understand your options and give you a roadmap for retirement. Call Stevie Swain at 513-818-1753, ext 4.