Financial optimism is hard to come by, especially for women in the workforce.
Less than one-third (29%) of women are currently “optimistic” about their finances, according to the 2017 Workplace Benefits Report released today by Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
This is compared to the 44% of male respondents who are currently feeling positive regarding their financial futures.
The survey of over 1,200 employees in the workforce, the majority of which were Gen Xers, found that the majority of women–61%–are concerned with “having to work longer” than hoped for, compared with 51% of male respondents, according to the survey. Women in the workforce are also more concerned about “being a financial burden” than men, with 41% of women citing this as a worry, compared to 39% of men.
This increased concern could be due to a number of factors, including the wage gap, or what some in finances have called “the investing gap” when it comes to women and saving for the future. It also can be an opportunity for financial services that are looking to design niche products, such as Ellevest, for example.
The full study is available here.