Women are Closing The Confidence Gap. But are Women Investing smarter in futures?

High-powered women from around the World  have been weighing in recently on the subject of whether women can “have it all.” One area in particular where women appear to need help “leaning in”: investing their money. It’s a phenomenon some money experts call “the female financial paradox”: Women are a growing economic force, expected to add $6 trillion in earned income globally over the next five years, according to new research by The Boston Consulting Group released in 2013. Yet many women lag behind men when it comes to using those assets to plan and build financial security for the future.
What’s this about?  :
“I’ve got nearly $100,000 sitting in a savings account earning less than 1 percent interest,” says a 42-year-old VP of marketing at a major retailer in New York.  “I know I could get a better return if I invested in the stock market, but I don’t have the time to figure out how to get started.”  I can try and sum it up in my BAD way for you. Here is and example of a woman who has saved  USD $100,000
Are you serious, Right now?   You don't have the time to figure it out, this is your money (  you should be reading and finding answers on what to do with Your money, you earned and saved it . A woman would be in her man's earn telling him, he needs to invest their money in a smart way (community property) so that she will be properly taken care of  in her golden  years, when, not  if  he dies before her. But here is one (smart)  woman who  can't figure out what to do with her own money she saved... Stop procrastinating take charge of your life already.

She isn't alone in putting financial planning on the back burner. According to the 2014 Northwestern Mutual Planning and Progress Study, the number one roadblock for people who think their planning could use improvement is a lack of time. Other studies show that many American women share this “head-in-the-sand” approach to long-term planning. But that strategy won’t work,  not if women are to enjoy the financial security they deserve.

Women have more power and earning potential than ever before. They now make up the majority of college graduates, represent nearly half the labor force and are the primary breadwinners in 42 percent of households,” this cited in The Shriver Report published in 2014. “Because they’re balancing careers and families with philanthropic pursuits and other projects, however, they often place others ahead of themselves..... Change your mindset!
In my BAD opinion ( I know what you are thinking what is he coming with now?) Women are still too dependent on men to make key decisions for them. Your mother and Your grand-mother had no choices, but you have options and should take control of your lives, even if you have a husband. Don't be A+ dependent, become a self sufficient woman ( which is a  major Asset in any relationship).

This plays out in a number of different ways. Some women save for their children’s college education before their own retirements. Others give generously to loved ones today, helping them to buy cars, houses and other large-ticket items. However. There may be a high price to putting short-term needs in front of long-term goals. I don't buy the excuse, that woman are programmed to become dependent on the men in their lives, too much. You will hear a self sufficient woman say: "I need a man to do that for me!" Why? "Because It is too hard to do it for myself" Women  need someone to blame if it goes wrong. The man  will take the hit and then he will be work himself to death trying to fix it. 

Most women will spend at least part of their life on their own, either because they never marry or because they lose a spouse to divorce or death. This means many will be forced to manage their own finances in their later years without the support of a partner. And because women tend to live longer than men, their money will need to stretch further. So get off your duff and get to figuring out your finances...... Ladies, you are smarter than many under educated men you meet. Guys are not spending much time  learning at  institutions of Higher learning these days.  If you hand your future over to these jokers you will loose your blouse, your skirt and your undies, all in one bad investment pyramid scheme. 

Not surprisingly,  it’s crucial for women of all ages to engage in the long-term planning necessary to help ensure a secure retirement.(Here is where a good  him/her  team will have checks and balances)  Now check out these recommendations that  women should  take these following actions seriously:

1. Get in the game. Women are participating in their employers’ retirement plans at the same rate as men. The problem is, they typically save less—an average of 6.9 percent of pay compared to 7.6 percent for men, according to 2013 a report by Aon Hewitt. Many also don’t contribute enough to take advantage of any company match. This makes it harder for women to build sufficient savings to fund retirement. In fact, according to the Aon Hewitt report, women have average plan balances that are significantly less than men’s, consistently across all salary ranges ($59,300 for women vs. $100,000 for men). The solution? Women should take full advantage of their retirement plans as soon as possible. The key to building wealth is to start early, set aside as much as possible and always contribute at least as much to get any employer match that may be available.

2. Make “friends” with risk. Women prefer to preserve wealth even if it means giving up higher returns. Take a 51-year-old attorney as an example; she has consistently contributed the maximum allowed by her law firm’s retirement plan. she knows she should be investing in stocks, but I don’t want a repeat of 2008. her money is parked in a money market fund, where she thinks it’s safe.

Many women should see financial planning as a way to protect against the unexpected. The problem with concentrating your savings in lower-risk assets, such as cash, is that your money won’t grow fast enough to help fund your retirement and other long-term goals. You should consider investing a portion of your money in assets with the potential for growth. What's the best way to get started? Understand your tolerance for risk and find an appropriate allocation for your portfolio that allows you to sleep at night.


3. Make communication a priority. Some women shut down when it comes to talking about investing because they find the jargon too confusing to understand. this I  believe is your cue to talk more about the life and family issues that drive your investment decisions, not less. Knowledge really is power, especially when it comes to investing. If your financial adviser isn't speaking clearly and answering your questions in the way you need, let him or her know. The more you know about your money, the more confident you may feel about your future.

4. Collaborate on a plan. The number one piece of advice I would give to couples is to make all financial decisions together.  but if you are alone.... Follow the best advise you can get and ask for examples. Building a financial plan with a r financial adviser gives you an opportunity to discuss your respective financial goals and helps you identify potential challenges that need to be addressed. It also enables you to sort through any differences and facilitates the creation of a solid road-map for getting where you want to go. Best of all, joint, with your partner or self, accountability can be a powerful way to achieve financial success.