Women Are Substantially Behind Men in Growing Lifetime Wealth, UBS Says

Women are projected to have significantly less wealth than men in their lifetime, UBS says in its report “Taking Action: How women can best protect and grow their wealth.”

The reasons for the disparity are varied, though not unexpected. For one, a 21% pay gap exists between men and women; additionally, women tend to leave the work force to raise or care for family, and to live longer, UBS says. In the U.S., women are projected to live 6.7 years more than men. Women are also more likely to work part time, and they tend to invest more conservatively, UBS says.

However, the firm says, if women invest in a disciplined way and take the appropriate level of risk, they can be better prepared for retirement. Women are more likely to remain invested in the markets than men and less likely to try to time the market, UBS says.

The firm moreover says that women want to invest in companies that “have a meaning and purpose for them. They are also more inclined to invest in businesses with diverse leadership.”