2/2/2015 – What women need to know when they retire (MarketWatch)

Young people entering the workforce need to educate themselves about the retirement-planning process. Women in the early stages of their retirement planning should be aware that they will face some different challenges than their male coworkers.

One of the key differences is life expectancy. On average, women live longer than men do. Girl babies born today will live almost 81 years, while boys are expected to live just over 76 years. According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, the average 25-year-old male today will live another 52.34 years and the typical 25-year-old female should live another 56.77 years.

Because of the difference in life expectancy and the fact that most women marry men who are older than themselves, most men will die married while the majority of women will die as widows. Over 50% of women above the age of 65 are widows, and they outnumber widowers by a ratio of three to one.

Read the full article at MarketWatch.