Tag: women

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Women’s Equality Day – 2022

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On August 26th, we celebrate Women’s Equality Day which was passed by Congress in 1973 to commemorate the passage of the 19th Amendment.  In the nearly 50 years since, women’s rights have taken steps forward and steps backward.  At North Carolina Women United, we look to advance public policy and laws that work toward women’s equality on a whole host of topics. One of these being Economic Stability which is near and dear to my heart as a Financial Advisor working with women on achieving financial independence and empowerment.   One positive of late is the trending in the right direction of the gender pay gap for women ages 25 to 34 which has shrunk considerably.  Pew Research Center released the figures in 2021, showing women were paid 7 cents less than their male counterparts compared to 33 cents in 1980.

This gives me so much hope for these women in their “golden years”.  Most of us don’t want to talk about aging, but for me, it’s part of my job to have these discussions.  I talk with clients about all their financial goals – short and long – but the longest goal of all is planning for retirement.  We are talking about their lives from age 65 to 95 and what their dreams and aspirations are for that time of their lives.  The majority of my clients are women, so I know the repercussions the inequality in pay has dealt on so many women over the age of 65 today.  The pay gap in the past has resulted in an even bigger gap in the quality of retirement for older American women, and the pandemic has widened the retirement savings confidence gap.

On top of that, women are more likely to have breaks in their career which can affect savings – having children and taking care of aging family.  Exacerbating this issue, women generally live longer than men, often having been their caregiver as well.  Also, more than half of women over the age of 65 are unmarried and aging solo compared to a quarter of men.

In 2021, Edward Jones partnered with Age Wave to conduct a study of 9,000 people across North America to understand what living well in retirement means for them.  It covered five generations, and among many interesting findings was that the whole idea of retirement has changed with the Baby Boomers.  42% of their parents’ generation said retirement was “a time for rest and relaxation” while 55% of today’s retirees definite it as “a new chapter in life”.   What does that mean? It means having purpose, learning new things, traveling, and time with family.  Having an adequate retirement savings lends itself to a lot more options for whatever your purpose may be.

I get excited when I’m contacted by women in this age group of 25 to 34.  They want to learn, and I’m here to help.  Women often need a lot of confidence in their knowledge before making a decision – this can often lead to analysis paralysis and further delays in investing. Women are key in the transfer of wealth that is currently happening in our country with the Baby Boomer generation. We need to ensure we are prioritizing our health and understanding our purpose.

Where do you start?

    • Does your employer offer a retirement plan? If so, meet with the advisor on that plan to get started, find out what the employer match might be (free money!)  and ensure you are properly invested.
    • Read up on the different types of retirement plans available.
    • BUDGET – make sure you understand what your cash inflow and outflow is now – this will help you build that foundation of a healthy retirement

Want to learn more?

    • Listen to a podcast.
    • Ask a friend or family members if they use an advisor they trust for financial information.
    • Interview financial professionals until you find one that makes you feel heard and asks more questions about what is most important to you than about your money.

I look forward to my own retirement in 20 years. I know it will be very difficult to walk away from my clients that I have grown so close with over the years.  I also know that there will be a generation of women changing these numbers we see today.  They will be confident that they have wisely taken control of their finances, so retirement will be an opportunity for a new chapter for them.

 

Check out the study mentioned here: www.edwardjones.com/newretirement

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Women’s Advocacy Day 2017!

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It’s another long session at the NCGA, which means we will be hosting Women’s Advocacy Day this year on March 14th!

Whether you are an expert advocate or a novice, we encourage you to attend and speak with legislators about the issues that matter to you.

We are looking forward to hosting an interactive and advocacy-full day.

Let us know if you can make it!

Register now: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd9VSJRDv9bOvSnsiusprndpkCIdbFRw9vATjc6H0NcY7jyiQ/viewform

And be sure to invite your friends. You can invite them through our Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1220512637984935/

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Some Important Truths About the Zika Crisis and Reproductive Freedom

This article originally appeared in NC Policy Watch. It was written by NCWU President and NARAL Pro-Choice Executive Director Tara Romano. 

Summer is winding down here in North Carolina, but the heat isn’t going away just yet. And neither are the mosquitoes. In the Southeast, mosquito season can last until November, depending on the timing of the first frost. As Florida has now recorded more than 60 non-travel-related Zika cases, mosquitos are on the mind of many state officials and public health professionals. They will also likely be on the minds of women of childbearing age, who continue to confront the dire warnings about the dangers of a Zika infection during pregnancy.

It is widely believed that the Zika virus, while normally a mild disease for most people, can be dangerous to a developing fetus. These dangers include severe and potentially fatal birth defects. The risk of a range of moderate-to-severe birth defects has professionals and the general public discussing the best ways women can protect themselves from infection during pregnancy. For many, it also brings up the topics of abortion and disability rights.

Of course, the narrative that all families facing this situation will choose to have an abortion is not necessarily true, nor is it any of our business. Women choose childbirth and abortion for many reasons, and we trust women to make the choices that are best for themselves and their families. And we support them in those decisions. This support includes providing equitable access to safe abortion as well as services to children with special needs and their caretakers.

Despite the name-calling by some abortion opponents, pregnant women who consider abortion because of concerns for the fetus’ health aren’t some special brand of selfish monsters. More likely, many of them are acutely aware of the services that may or may not be available to them, and their own access to the resources that may be needed to provide adequate childcare.

You may have noticed that our society does not have much space in it for people with disabilities – employment, transportation, safe housing, medical services, and educational opportunities can be difficult to come by. And we certainly don’t offer much support to the caretakers for those with disabilities.

And for young women, poor women and women of color, who disproportionality lack access to health care and secure job opportunities, these considerations may be even more critical.

Rather than empty platitudes that may hold little meaning for those in this situation, we as a society need to offer tangible support to these families.

In North Carolina, this means expanding Medicaid so more people can have access to the health care they need. This also means ensuring access to paid sick and family leave, something few North Carolinians currently have. We need to fully fund our public education system, incorporating new technologies and innovations that integrate kids with disabilities into shared and meaningful learning opportunities. We need to raise the minimum wage, close the gender wage gap, and strengthen our social safety nets to better support our neighbors who need a little help.

In 2016 in America, almost half of the pregnancies that occur are unintended. We should address this as well if we want to help women avoid contracting the Zika virus while pregnant.  Despite living in a culture that uses sexualized images to sell just about everything, many kids do not receive formal sex education beyond “just say no,” leaving them vulnerable to myths and misunderstandings about sex and about their bodies. Coupled with the phenomenon of tax dollars being funneled to organizations that regularly spread myths about birth control and sex, too many people well into adulthood don’t have the tools they need to prevent pregnancy. And birth control is not nearly as accessible as it should be. Even over-the-counter methods like condoms, contraceptive sponges and emergency contraception can be difficult to get if stores keep them stocked only behind the counter.

The Zika virus is a new global public health crisis and one whose impact is being felt most acutely by pregnant women. Whether people decide to delay pregnancy or to manage a current pregnancy, we have the tools to effectively deal with this crisis. We just need the political will to make them truly accessible to all.