How Women Can Prepare for Retirement

Portrait of confident businesswoman smiling in office

Presented by: Megan Hurches, Private Wealth Advisor

Read Time: 3 MIN

When our parents retired, living to 75 amounted to a nice long life, and Social Security was often supplemented by a pension. The Social Security Administration (SSA) estimates that today’s average 65-year-old woman will live to age 86½. Given these projections, it appears that a retirement of 20 years or longer might be in your future.1


Are you prepared for a 20-year retirement? How about a 30-year or even 40-year retirement? Don’t laugh; it could happen. The Society of Actuaries predicts that an average healthy woman that reaches age 65 has a 44% chance of living past 90 and a 22% chance of living to be older than 95.2

Start with good questions. How can you draw retirement income from what you’ve saved? How might you create other income streams to complement Social Security? And what are some ways you can protect your retirement savings and other financial assets?

Enlist a financial professional. The right person can give you some good ideas, especially one who understands the challenges women face in saving for retirement. These may include income inequality or time out of the workforce due to childcare or eldercare. It could also mean helping you maintain financial equilibrium in the wake of divorce or the death of a spouse.

Invest strategically. If you are in your fifties, you have less time to make back any big investment losses than you once did. So, protecting what you have may be a priority. At the same time, the possibility of retirement lasting up to 30 or 40 years will require a good understanding of your risk tolerance and overall goals.

Consider extended care coverage. Women have longer average life expectancies than men and may require significant periods of eldercare. Medicare is no substitute for extended care insurance; it only covers a few weeks of nursing home care, and that may only apply under special circumstances. Extended care coverage can provide financial relief if the need arises.3

Claim Social Security benefits carefully. If your career and health permit, delaying Social Security can be a wise move. If you wait until full retirement age to claim your benefits, you could receive larger Social Security payments as a result. For every year you wait to claim Social Security past your full retirement age up until age 70, your monthly payments get about 8% larger.4

Retire with a strategy. As you face retirement, a financial professional who understands your unique goals can help you design an approach that can serve you well for years to come.


LIVE WITH CONFIDENCE!


1SSA.gov, 2021

2LongevityIllustrator.org, 2021. Life expectancy estimates assume average health, non-smoker, and a retirement age of 65.

3Medicare.gov, 2021

4SSA.gov, 2021

The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. This material was developed and produced by FMG Suite to provide information on a topic that may be of interest. FMG, LLC, is not affiliated with the named broker-dealer, state- or SEC-registered investment advisory firm. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information and should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Copyright 2023 FMG Suite.

EWM does not offer tax or legal advice. Executive Wealth Management (EWM) is a Registered Investment Advisor with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Reference to registration does not imply any specific level of qualification or skill. Investment Advisor Representatives of EWM offer Investment Advice and Financial Planning Services to customers located within the United States. EWM does not offer tax or legal advice. Executive Wealth Management, EWM Tax Solutions, and EWM Legal Services are affiliated but separate companies.

Megan Hurches

Megan Hurches has been a member of the Executive Wealth Management team since early 2023. Megan's mission and passion lie in helping clients feel empowered by their finances by equipping them with the necessary tools and processes to help bring long-term financial success. Her expertise and dedication help them in achieving this success and living their best lives. Her previous nursing career has given her the unique ability to form genuine and trusting relationships during critical moments in clients' lives. This trait serves her well as a financial advisor. As a devoted wife and mother of two daughters, Megan enjoys spending time with her family in the kitchen or traveling anywhere they can hike and be outdoors. Megan holds a Bachelor of Science in dietetics and nursing.

Executive Wealth Management