5, 45, and 59: Three Numbers Shaping Women’s Financial Futures: What We're Sharing with Our Clients

With many women today earning more, inheriting more, and overseeing more wealth than any previous generation, we thought it was a good time to remind clients that these shifting economic realities have real-world consequences. What’s more, as you know, women tend to live longer and, in many cases, may be assuming financial decision-making responsibilities earlier than they expected.

Together, these facts raise important questions about how our mutual clients, particularly married couples, should approach structuring, reviewing, and positioning their assets differently going forward.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we frame this shifting reality through three numbers that are quietly shaping the financial lives of many women: 5, 45, and 59.

5: The Extra Years Their Money May Need to Last

Women in the United States live about five years longer than men on average. In 2023, life expectancy was 75.8 years for men and 81.1 years for women.¹

Research also shows that many of those additional years are spent managing chronic conditions, increasing the likelihood of higher healthcare and support costs.²

Women, and the men in their lives, need to prepare for these possibilities.

Longevity brings opportunity and responsibility for women. Stress-testing assumptions, separating assets by time horizon, and acknowledging the possibility of living into your 90s can help bring structure to these realities.

45: The Share of Investable Assets Women Are on Track to Control

Studies suggest that women may control as much as 45 percent of all investable assets in the U.S. and Europe by 2030.³

According to McKinsey & Company, women controlled roughly $10 trillion in 2018, $18 trillion in 2023, and are on track to control as much as $34 trillion by 2030.³

Much of this growth is tied to the Great Wealth Transfer, with some estimates indicating that 70–80 percent of the coming $83 trillion transfer may accrue to women.⁴

At the same time, income dynamics continue to evolve. According to the Pew Research Center, 16 percent of opposite-sex marriages now have wives as the sole or primary breadwinner, about triple the share from 50 years ago, while 29 percent of marriages report spouses earning about the same amount.⁵

59: The Age Many Women Face Widowhood

While Widowhood remains a difficult topic, yet the data is striking. The average age of widowhood for women in the U.S. is 59.⁶

Women live an average of 12–13 years as widows, and household income may decline by 37 percent to 50 percent following the death of a spouse. Nearly 700,000 women lose their husbands each year, and about 40 percent of widows report low confidence in managing finances alone.⁶

These figures suggest that many women will become sole financial decision makers earlier than expected, often while still working or supporting others. Establishing continuity with trusted professionals can reduce stress during an already emotional transition.

Bringing It Together

For many women, the numbers 45, 5, and 59 intersect in real time, and they need to be prepared to manage wealth independently. While it may not happen for a while, we stress to clients that waiting will not make things easier down the road, and point out actionable next steps they may want to consider today, including:

• Confirm that strategies reflect current and potential situations
  
  
• Review ownership and titling
  
  
• Build cash reserves to allow for future flexibility
  
  
• Review how financial assumptions may function if circumstances change
  
  

We realize that the implications of outliving a spouse can be overwhelming, so we show our clients that we are here to help and facilitate what may be a difficult conversation.

We’d welcome the chance to work with you to help our mutual clients understand the importance of those three numbers and better prepare for the future, whatever may come.

^{1. USA Facts, March 21, 2025.}

^{2. The Guardian, December 11, 2024.}

^{3. McKinsey & Company, May 8, 2025.}

^{4. Diversified Trust, October 13, 2025.}

^{5. Pew Research Center, April 13, 2023.}

^{6. Gitnux, December 11, 2025.}