World Savings Day: A Woman's Guide To Secure Retirement With Power & Planning

As women continue to break barriers in their careers and redefine financial independence, one crucial discussion often takes a backseat - retirement planning. According to the OECD, women live, on average, five years longer than men,  yet retire with 30–35% less wealth.  This difference arises from career breaks, unequal pay, caregiving duties, and a more cautious investment approach. For women in their 30s and 40s, this phase indicates a powerful opportunity to strengthen financial resistance and build lasting security for the years ahead.

Gender gap & retirement

Globally, the gender pay gap remains at around 20%, and in India, the median salaries for men and women are now nearly equal, reflecting significant progress toward achieving pay equity. However, women are more likely to take career breaks.

Research shows that young women aged 15–29 spend 164 minutes daily on unpaid caregiving, over twice the 77 minutes spent by men. This extra burden often pushes women out of formal work, pausing income and disrupting long-term wealth growth.

Adding to the challenge, women tend to be more conservative investors. While being cautious can be a strong attribute of a successful investor, choosing very conservative investment options may limit portfolio growth. 

According to the latest data, women now constitute about 25–26% of mutual fund investors in India, with their share of assets under management reaching 33%. 

While this marks progress in participation, a separate regulator survey reveals only around 9.5% of Indian households invest in securities like equities and mutual funds. The preference for traditional savings vehicles often leaves wealth vulnerable to inflation over time.

Not a one-size-fits-all approach

The 30s represent the perfect convergence of time and income potential. Every rupee invested early benefits from the power of compounding. A small but consistent monthly investment in your 30s can grow exponentially by the time you retire.

For instance, investing ₹10,000 per month from age 30 at an 8% annual return could grow to ₹1.5 crore by 60, while starting just 10 years later would yield less than half that amount.

For working women, this stage of their life and career is the best time to maximise employment benefits by fully contributing to provident or superannuation funds and leveraging matching contributions. Automating monthly savings and diversifying early across equity, debt, and gold can lead to balanced and meaningful growth.

By your 40s, financial priorities expand in the form of children’s education, home loans, and ageing parents, but this is also your peak earning decade. Focus on optimisation by increasing retirement contributions to 15–20% of income and gradually rebalancing your portfolio toward stable assets. Avoid lifestyle inflation by channelling raises and bonuses into investments rather than spending. 

Finally, plan for longevity by ensuring steady post-retirement income through annuities or systematic withdrawals for lasting financial stability and independence.

Financial independence isn’t just about earning; it’s about informed investing. While women’s participation in financial markets is rising, active portfolio management remains limited. Building financial literacy and seeking expert guidance can transform cautious savers into confident investors.

This World Savings Day, let’s move beyond merely saving. Let’s invest with intent, plan with vision, and take ownership of our financial futures. Because true empowerment begins when every woman believes financial security isn’t a privilege, but a right built with one smart decision at a time. 

This article is authored by Suranjana Borthakur, Head of Distribution & Strategic Alliances, Mirae Asset Investment Managers (India) | Views expressed by the author are their own.