Scary Statistics - Why women need to invest

I've read a few books by Robert Kiyosaki (his first was 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad). I've played Cashflow 101. Then surfing my local library catalogue I discovered his wife has also published a book (or two). Her first is called Rich Women and it contains some scary statistics for us women. Tonight I found she has her very own website and one article posted there contains those statistics.

So I quote:-

• 47% of women over 50 are single
• Women’s retirement income will be lessened because on average a woman is away from the work force 14.7 years as compared to 1.6 years for men. (Women are typically the primary caretaker of the home.)
• 50% of marriages end in divorce. Of course, the #1 thing couples fight about is…money. And in most cases the woman ends up with the kids. (So now she is solely financially responsible for herself and her children.)
• In the first year after a divorce, a woman’s standard of living drops 73%.
• 80% of widows now living in poverty were not poor before the death of their husband.
• Approximately 7 out of 10 women will, at some time, live in poverty.

I don’t show you these statistics to scare you, but to say it’s time we, as women, prepare for our financial well-being. We can no longer afford to be financially illiterate. The price is simply too great.

The full article 5 Reasons Why Women Need to Invest used to be available on Kim Kiyosaki's website, but appears to have been taken down. If you wish to read more, I strongly suggest you get her book, Rich Woman.

Kim, thank you for your work in financial education.