Women's money challenges

This women's money challenges infographic looks at the everyday challenges women face and the small steps they can take now that can make a big difference later.

View the accessible text version of the infographic

Women's money challenges (accessible text version)

How women manage day-to-day

8:00am  - Meeting at work

  • Paid work - 65% of women aged 20-74 years are in paid employment (1)

11:15am - Phone call with Dad's surgeon

  • Caring for others - 32.5% of women have caring responsibilities for a parent(2)

5:45pm - Pick up Anna from after school care

  • Families - 62.2% of employed women with a child under 5 work part-time(1)

6.30pm - Dinner time

  • Household duties - Full time working women with children spend 44 hours a week on household duties(3)

Short term priorities

80% of women say their top financial priority is providing for their family's day to day needs(4)

Women and super

Average superannuation balance at retirement(2)

  • 231K - Women
  • 454K - Men

Why do women have less superannuation?

  • Time out of the workforce
  • Part-time work
  • Caring responsibilities

Women live longer - average life expectancy for women has increased to 84.4 years(5)

SMALL steps now make a BIG difference later

Get to know your super better

  • Consolidate funds
  • Keep track of your balance
  • Pay a little extra into super

Make a plan for the longer term

  • Manage your mortgage
  • Family experiences
  • Reward yourself

Build a savings buffer for life's ups and downs

  • Changes in employment
  • Relationship problems
  • Medical issues

Sources

  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics, February 2016, Economic Security 6151
  2. Melbourne Institute, HILDA Report, 2016
  3. NSW Department of Health, Balancing work and caring responsibilities, 2011
  4. 'Women and money across the generations', RMIT University, 2014
  5. Australian Bureau of Statistics, February 2016, Health 2321

Related links


Last updated: 06 Nov 2018