August 18th 2010

The good news is that women seem to be better at investing than men, they are more likely to participate in a retirement plan than men, and 18% of wives earned more than their husbands in 2006.
The bad news is that 40% of married women are still not involved in the financial decision making, and women wait 2-4 years longer than men to start saving for retirement.

Current studies show that 1 in 10 female retirees and 1 in 5 single women over age 65 live on less than $10,000 per year!

Women have unique financial challenges.  In general:
1.       Women earn less
2.       Women live longer
3.       Women spend fewer years in the workforce
4.       Women must confront the “what if factor”  (what if I divorce or am widowed, what if I have health issues, what if I outlive my savings)

Women can overcome these challenges by:
1.       Identifying and prioritizing goals (how do I envision my retirement?)
2.       Start with a budget and develop a strategy (even the smallest amount invested on a regular basis will help reach those goals so START EARLY and START NOW!)
3.       Focus on the fundamentals of investing (no get-rick-quick schemes; use tried-and-true methods)
4.       Talk to a financial professional (a Certified Financial Planner™ is best as she will look at the whole picture, not just at the money) 

Background on me:
I am a Certified Financial Planner™ and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ with over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry.  I focus on holistic financial planning, where I look at not just your investments but how they fit into the jigsaw puzzle of your life, making sure that everything in your financial life is on track to help you meet your goals.  This includes reviewing your tax strategies; short-term and long-term needs; insuring your income, your life, and your long term health; and, if you own your business, providing you and your employees with financial advice and education.  I want to be  your advisor for LIFE. 

M. Dawn Lloyd, CFP®, CRPC®
Vice President
Merrill Lynch
(480) 324-2913 office
Dawn_Lloyd@ml.com
www.fa.ml.com/dawn_lloyd

 
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