Women, money and investing

MAY 15, 2016
By  Ellie Zhu

InvestmentNews partnered with Kiplinger's to ask women about their experiences at different life stages with investing and financial advisers. Here are some of the results.

Gender Their adviser's gender
Female Male
Breadwinners Widows
Source: InvestmentNews/Kiplinger's Financial Advice & Investing Survey
Reason No. 1 reason to hire an adviser
High-level professionals
To help plan and save for retirement
Breadwinners, Widows, Single and Wealthy
To improve overall investment returns
Source: InvestmentNews/Kiplinger's Financial Advice & Investing Survey
Discussion I only discuss my finances with professionals
Source: InvestmentNews/Kiplinger's Financial Advice & Investing Survey
Risk Their investment risk tolerance
Low or below average Average risk tolerance High or above-average
Low or below average
Average risk tolerance
High or above-average
Source: InvestmentNews/Kiplinger's Financial Advice & Investing Survey
Overview Range of women's financial goals and fears
No. 1 personal financial goal
Breadwinners* Single and wealthy** Widows High-level professionals***
Leave behind wealth or a legacy for future generations of my family 6.5% 11.5% 22.1% 3.9%
Retire with financial security and peace of mind 60.2% 42.3% 19.8% 76.5%
Accumulate as much wealth as possible 3% 3.8% 3.5% 2.6%
Accumulate wealth for specific ambitions (travel, opening a business, etc.) 5.5% 7.7% 4.7% 8.5%
Lead a comfortable and predictable lifestyle 24.9% 34.6% 50% 8.5%
No. 1 financial fear
Breadwinners* Single and wealthy** Widows High-level professionals***
Going into debt, not being able to pay off debt 5% 7.9% 9.7% 8.5%
Not having enough money to support my family 7% 2% 3.7% 5.9%
Not having enough money to retire 13.6% 4.9% 2.4% 17%
Running out of money in retirement 59.3% 71.6% 67.1% 58.2%
Not being able to cover medical expenses 15.1% 13.7% 17.1% 10.5%
Primary tools for learning about finances
Breadwinners* Single and wealthy** Widows High-level professionals***
Newspapers, magazines or websites 88.8% 83.8% 80.2% 87%
Financial television news networks 13.7% 34.3% 35.4% 11%
Personal financial adviser 28.3% 29.5% 31.3% 27.9%
Friends or family 12.7% 1% 8.3% 15.6%
Seminars or other events 4.4% 6.7% 4.2% 3.2%
Financial institutions (bank, 401(k) provider, brokerage firm) 16.6% 21% 16.7% 23.4%
Resources that would be most helpful if seeking a financial adviser
Breadwinners* Single and wealthy** Widows High-level professionals***
Information hosted on an adviser's website 41.7% 37.9% 40% 53.8%
Social media accounts, blogs or newsletters from an adviser 13.9% 10.3% 10% 15.4%
Attending a seminar hosted by a financial adviser 29.2% 34.5% 25% 23.1%
Radio or television program where an adviser is the host or a guest 15.3% 17.2% 25% 7.7%
Source: InvestmentNews/Kiplinger's Financial Advice & Investing Survey
Note: *Married women who are the primary or equal earner in their household, and are the primary decision-maker when it comes to their investments; ** Unmarried women whose household net worth is greater than $750,000; ***Working women in management, executive or ownership positions.

Latest News

Northern Trust names new West Region president for wealth
Northern Trust names new West Region president for wealth

The new regional leader brings nearly 25 years of experience as the firm seeks to tap a complex and evolving market.

Capital Group extends retirement plan services further with a focus on advisors
Capital Group extends retirement plan services further with a focus on advisors

The latest updates to its recordkeeping platform, including a solution originally developed for one large 20,000-advisor client, take aim at the small to medium-sized business space.

Why RIAs are the next growth frontier for annuities
Why RIAs are the next growth frontier for annuities

David Lau, founder and CEO of DPL Financial Partners, explains how the RIA boom and product innovation has fueled a slow-burn growth story in annuities.

Supreme Court slaps down challenge to IRS summons for Coinbase user data
Supreme Court slaps down challenge to IRS summons for Coinbase user data

Crypto investor argues the federal agency's probe, upheld by a federal appeals court, would "strip millions of Americans of meaningful privacy protections."

Houston-based RIA Americana Partners adds $1B+ with former Morgan Stanley director
Houston-based RIA Americana Partners adds $1B+ with former Morgan Stanley director

Meanwhile in Chicago, the wirehouse also lost another $454 million team as a group of defectors moved to Wells Fargo.

SPONSORED How advisors can build for high-net-worth complexity

Orion's Tom Wilson on delivering coordinated, high-touch service in a world where returns alone no longer set you apart.

SPONSORED RILAs bring stability, growth during volatile markets

Barely a decade old, registered index-linked annuities have quickly surged in popularity, thanks to their unique blend of protection and growth potential—an appealing option for investors looking to chart a steadier course through today's choppy market waters, says Myles Lambert, Brighthouse Financial.