in-page

Women, Investing and the Pursuit of Wealth-Life Balance

Balancing wealth goals with life’s realities is a constant challenge.

Sign up for updates

Wealth-Life Balance

Women are increasingly in charge of personal wealth yet their financial goals and overall investment philosophy is often at odds with how the financial industry has traditionally helped investors manage their savings.

Women on Wealth

For the first time, women control more of the private wealth in the U.S. than men.1
The vast majority of women see investing as a way to meet short and long-term goals.
  • Investing for the short term
  • Investing for the long term
74% 91%

Women on Life

According to our research, women are living a time-starved reality. While men generally see themselves as either the CEO or CFO of the household, women take on responsibility for the entire C-suite. It’s no surprise, then, that time management is a daily challenge for women.

70% of women are looking for ways to streamline their responsiblities.
63% of women* say “planning for tomorrow is difficult when there is already so much on my plate.”
*Women surveyed under the age of 55.

Role in the Household

  • Women (n=748)
  • Women > $100K investable assets (n=340)
CEO
CFO
COO
CCT*

*CEO – Chief Executive Officer; CFO – Chief Financial Officer; COO – Chief Operating Officer; CCT – Chief Care Taker.

Women on Wealth-Life Balance

Women are finding it difficult to pursue these life and wealth goals simultaneously. They want wealth to be an agent to living their desired lifestyles.

84% of women view investing as a tool to create choices in life.

Bridging the Gap

Women want financial institutions to make a better effort to understand their realities. When asked about the financial industry and services more than half of the women surveyed said the financial services industry doesn’t reflect their lifestyles or realities.

72%

…believe investing is set up to be confusing.

53%

…say the financial services industry doesn’t reflect their lifestyles or realities.

Insights into Action

At PIMCO, we use data and analysis to inform action. Findings from our survey suggest actions financial advisors can take to better serve women investors.

Learn more about Women on Wealth-Life Balance and invest in your practice

Enhance Your Practice

About the Survey

At PIMCO, we believe diverse perspectives generate deeper insights, drive greater innovation and yield better outcomes for investors. That conviction, combined with our research-driven culture, led us to commission this large-scale market survey, Women, Investing and the Pursuit of Wealth-Life Balance.

The objective of the survey was to collect and analyze data that would illuminate the needs of women investors, including their motivations, goals, performance expectations and investment philosophy, to help ensure that the financial goals of this important segment of the investing population are being met – both here at PIMCO and throughout the financial services industry.

Women, Investing & the Pursuit of Wealth-Life Balance

View our full research findings.

Download Report 
Wealth Life Balance cover

More About PIMCO

Women's Expanding Economic Power

Women are transforming the global economy. Is investment management keeping pace?

Women & Investing at PIMCO

Advocating for gender equality in workplace, our industry and the communities where we live and work.

Read More 

Purpose at PIMCO

At PIMCO, we understand both the opportunity and obligation to effect meaningful social change.

Learn More

Disclosures

Hong Kong
PIMCO Asia Limited
Suite 2201, 22nd Floor
Two International Finance Centre
No. 8 Finance Street, Central
Hong Kong
852-3650-7700

Licensed by the Securities and Futures Commission for Types 1, 4 and 9 regulated activities under the Securities and Futures Ordinance. PIMCO Asia Limited (Suite 2201, 22nd Floor, Two International Finance Centre, No. 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong) is registered as a cross-border discretionary investment manager with the Financial Supervisory Commission of Korea (Registration No. 08-02-307). The asset management services and investment products are not available to persons where provision of such services and products is unauthorised.
1BMO Financial Group, “BMO Report: Despite Controlling $14 Trillion in Wealth, American Women Still Have Challenges to Overcome,” MarketWired, April 2015, http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/bmo-report-despite-controlling-14-trillion-wealth-american-women-still-have-challenges-tsx-bmo-2006436.htm
Methodology:
Expert Salon
In March and April 2018, we conducted expert salons in Newport Beach and New York City to capture ideas from thought leaders in women’s perspectives on investing, lifestyle and goals across media, finance and communications.

Financial Decision Maker Survey
This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of PIMCO from May 3-May 16, 2018, among 1,500 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, including 748 women. All respondents had over $10,000 in investable household assets and at least some financial decision-making responsibility within the household. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. In March 2018, we also hosted 2 salon sessions to explore issues around women and investing with thought leaders, influencers and experts.
Past performance is not a guarantee or a reliable indicator of future results.  All investments contain risk and may lose value.  This report is provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product, nor construed as a solicitation or offer to buy or sell any securities or related financial instruments in any jurisdiction.

The survey results contain the opinions of the respondents and not necessarily those of PIMCO. The data contained within the report may not be related to any PIMCO product or strategy and should not be relied upon for any investment decision.

Information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but not guaranteed. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form, or referred to in any other publication, without express written permission. PIMCO is a trademark of Allianz Asset Management of America L.P. in the United States and throughout the world. ©2019, PIMCO.