# How advisers can help women own their retirement > Women control growing wealth and live longer. Smart advisers meet them with experience, curiosity and genuine support. - Title: How advisers can help women own their retirement · Kiplinger - Summary: Women control growing wealth and live longer. Smart advisers meet them with experience, curiosity and genuine support. Women bring real financial strengths… - Keywords: women retirement planning, financial advisers, wealth management, pay gap, caregiving, longevity, social security, divorce, sandwich generation, financial confidence, tax-efficient planning, client retention - Source: Kiplinger — https://kiplinger.com/retirement/retirement-planning/how-advisers-can-help-women-plan-for-retirement - Published: 2026-09-18T10:30:00+00:00 - Read time: 3 min - Topics: women retirement planning, financial advisers, wealth management, pay gap, caregiving, longevity, social security, divorce, sandwich generation, financial confidence, tax-efficient planning, client retention ## Women are reshaping retirement Women control growing household wealth, typically outlive spouses and increasingly make their own financial decisions. This demographic shift represents one of the profession's most meaningful opportunities. > Women are stepping into the retirement conversation with more power and purpose than ever. ## Women bring real financial strengths Women tend to save diligently, take measured risks, plan for loved ones and stay the course during market volatility. Your job is to meet their readiness with experience and genuine support. > They tend to save diligently, take measured risks, plan for the people they love and stay the course when markets get loud. ## The pay gap compounds over decades Women earn about 81 cents per dollar men earn, totaling roughly $542,800 in lost earnings over 40 years. This gap ripples through Social Security, pensions and every retirement account. > Women working full-time still earn about 81 cents for every dollar a man earns, which amounts to roughly $542,800 in lost earnings over a 40-year career. ## Catch-up strategies close the gap Catch-up contributions, tax-efficient savings and income strategies designed specifically for women can help offset the impact of the pay gap on retirement accounts. ## Career breaks reshape earnings curves Nearly half of women who left jobs in 2025 did so for caregiving. These breaks mean lost income, halted contributions and gaps in Social Security calculations. > Nearly half of all women who left their jobs in 2025 did so to care for children or aging parents (or both). ## Help clients rebuild after career breaks Women who take time out for caregiving are extraordinary planners. Show them how to rebuild momentum after a career break and you become indispensable to their financial future. > These same women are extraordinary planners. Show them how to rebuild momentum after a career break, and you become indispensable. ## Longevity multiplies retirement costs Women live longer and are more likely to manage money solo later in life. Long-term care costs average $171,000 for women versus $98,000 for men as of 2025. > Long-term care costs, estimated at $171,000 for women over the course of retirement vs $98,000 for men, as of 2025. ## Stress-test plans to age 95 or 100 Planning for a longer lifespan isn't an uncomfortable question. It's a powerful one that helps clients understand the true scope of their retirement needs. > Stress-testing a plan to age 95 or 100 isn't an uncomfortable question. It's a powerful one. ## Gray divorce reshapes finances Divorce rates for couples over 50 have roughly doubled since the 1990s. Income often drops while fixed expenses hold steady. Proactive conversations about spousal benefits and pension sharing matter most. > Divorce rates for couples over 50 have roughly doubled since the 1990s. ## Proactive divorce planning protects clients The key moment is before the divorce decree is signed. Help clients understand spousal benefits, pension sharing and separate property through proactive conversations, not reactive ones. > The key moment is before the decree is signed, when you can help a client understand spousal benefits, pension sharing and separate property. ## The sandwich generation squeeze Many women support adult children and aging parents simultaneously. A powerful reframe: children can borrow for education or homes, but no one borrows for retirement. > Children can borrow for education or a first home. No one borrows for retirement. ## Build confidence through small steps Some women hesitate to engage with financial math due to social norms and fear of missteps. Confidence is built, not born. Small steps compound just like savings do. > Confidence is built, not born. Small steps compound just like savings do. ## Practical steps to move clients forward Encourage 15 minutes weekly of learning, make fears specific and solvable, create a low-noise environment, automate savings and make the relationship feel safe and respected. > Fifteen minutes a week with a podcast or a well-chosen article gradually shifts how a client relates to her finances. ## Personalized strategies beat templates A well-coordinated adviser and team deliver value templates cannot replicate. Account for career breaks, catch-up windows, spousal preservation and longevity tailored to each client. > A personalized strategy accounts for the specifics of real life: Career breaks, catch-up windows, spousal preservation and longevity projections tailored to the client in front of you. ## Emotional steadiness matters most During divorce, widowhood or caregiving transitions, clients need someone who holds the long view calmly while everything feels uncertain. That steady, objective presence is invaluable. > That steady, objective presence is one of the most important things you can offer. ## Key takeaway Women bring real financial strengths to retirement planning. Advisers who understand the structural challenges they face and build personalized strategies earn lasting loyalty.