Retirement Planning / Women’s Retirement Insights
You are likely to live longer than the men in your life, and your plan should be built for it. Clear, practical guidance on income, Social Security, taxes, healthcare and the life changes that matter most, whether you are married, single, widowed or going through a divorce.
Prefer to talk? Call (407) 974-7100. In person in Orlando or by video nationwide.
Every woman’s path is different. Choose the one that fits you today.
Married or single and 5 to 15 years from retirement. Build a plan for a longer life.
Seven moves to makeA step-by-step financial guide for surviving spouses, at a pace that respects your grief.
Guide for widowsProtect your retirement before you sign: QDROs, Social Security, taxes and the house.
Guide for divorceNever married or on your own for years? Your plan runs on one income and one strategy.
Planning soloNone of this is about ability. Women are often excellent savers and careful investors. The difference is in the math of a woman’s life, and a plan that ignores it can fall short right when you need it most.
Women who reach 65 outlive men by several years on average, and about one in four 65-year-olds today will live past 90. More years of retirement means your savings has to stretch further.
Women earn about 83 cents for every dollar men earn and are more likely to step away from work to raise children. Lower earnings and gaps in work mean lower Social Security and smaller workplace retirement balances.
About 6 in 10 family caregivers are women. Caring for a parent or spouse can mean cutting hours, retiring early or paying out of pocket, often right before retirement.
Among Americans 65 and older, women are roughly three times as likely as men to be widowed. Losing a spouse often means losing a Social Security check and paying higher single tax rates.
Divorce after 50 has become far more common. Dividing retirement savings late in a career leaves less time to rebuild, so the settlement decisions matter even more.
A longer life means more years of Medicare premiums, out-of-pocket costs and a higher chance of needing long-term care, which Medicare generally does not cover.
1 in 4 of today’s 65-year-olds will live past 90.
1 in 10 will live past 95.
Source: Social Security Administration
Most of us would say yes, as long as we have our health, our independence and enough money to enjoy it. The risk is not living too long. The risk is outliving your plan.
For women, that risk is real. A plan that runs out at 85 can leave you facing your most expensive years, often on your own, with fewer choices. We build plans that are designed to last to 95 or 100, with:
Whether retirement is 15 years away or already here, these are the steps that make the biggest difference.
Even if a spouse has handled the finances, know where every account is, what it is worth, how it is titled and who the beneficiaries are. Open a free my Social Security account at ssa.gov to see your earnings record and benefit estimates.
Build your plan around a long life rather than an average one. Test it against living to 95 or 100, and against a bad market in the first years of retirement.
Women often have more claiming options than they realize: your own benefit, spousal benefits, survivor benefits and divorced spouse benefits. Choosing the right one at the right time can add tens of thousands of dollars over a lifetime. See the table below and our Social Security optimization service.
Cover your essential expenses with income that lasts for life, so market swings do not decide whether you can pay the bills. Then invest the rest for growth and flexibility.
Required minimum distributions and the move from joint to single tax brackets can push your taxes up later in life. Roth conversions and smart withdrawal order can help. Try our free Tax Bomb Calculator to see the hidden tax in your IRA or 401(k).
Know your Medicare enrollment window at 65, choose coverage that fits your health and budget, and decide how you would pay for care at home or in a facility. Learn more about healthcare planning in Florida.
Make sure your will or trust, durable power of attorney, healthcare surrogate and beneficiary designations reflect your wishes today, especially after a marriage, divorce or death in the family. See our estate planning guidance.
Beyond your own retirement benefit, you may qualify for benefits based on a current, late or former husband’s work record. Social Security pays the highest benefit you are eligible for.
| Benefit | Who may qualify | How much | Earliest age |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spousal benefit | Currently married for at least 1 year, and your husband has filed for his benefit | Up to 50% of his full retirement age benefit | 62 (reduced) |
| Survivor benefit | Widows married at least 9 months (exceptions apply) | Up to 100% of what he received or was entitled to | 60 (reduced), 50 if disabled |
| Divorced spouse benefit | Married 10+ years, currently unmarried, both 62 or older | Up to 50% of his full retirement age benefit | 62 (reduced) |
| Divorced survivor benefit | Married 10+ years; remarrying after 60 does not end eligibility | Up to 100% of what he received or was entitled to | 60 (reduced), 50 if disabled |
Summary only. Rules have exceptions, and benefits are reduced when claimed before full retirement age (67 for anyone born in 1960 or later). The Social Security Fairness Act, signed in January 2025, repealed the Government Pension Offset, so many widows and spouses with a government pension now qualify for these benefits. Confirm your options with Social Security or in a free review.
Widowhood and divorce are two of the biggest financial turning points in a woman’s life. Our in-depth guides walk you through what to do, and what not to do.
A gentle, step-by-step timeline for the first 30 days, first year and beyond: Social Security survivor benefits, inherited IRAs, the widow’s tax trap, life insurance claims and Florida’s widow’s property tax exemption.
Read the guide for widowsHow Florida divides retirement accounts, QDROs, divorced spouse Social Security, whether to keep the house, alimony changes, and how to rebuild a retirement plan on one income.
Read the guide for divorceWhether you never married or have been on your own for years, you are the whole plan: one income, one set of savings and no spousal or survivor benefit to lean on. That is not a weakness. It simply means every decision carries a little more weight.
Women tend to live longer, are more likely to take time out of the workforce to raise children or care for parents, and on average earn less over a career. That usually means a longer retirement funded by fewer years of savings and a smaller Social Security benefit. Women are also far more likely than men to spend part of retirement single, whether through widowhood or divorce. A good plan accounts for all of this: it plans for income that lasts into your late 90s, uses every Social Security option you are entitled to, and prepares for healthcare and long-term care costs.
We generally plan to at least age 95, and often to 100. According to the Social Security Administration, about one in four 65-year-olds today will live past 90, and about one in ten will live past 95. Women, on average, outlive men by several years, so planning for a long life is the safer assumption.
Yes, if you qualify. A spousal benefit can be up to 50% of your husband’s full retirement age benefit. You must be at least 62, and he must have filed for his own benefit. If you start before your own full retirement age, the spousal benefit is permanently reduced. Social Security pays whichever is higher, your own benefit or the spousal benefit, not both added together.
As a surviving spouse you can receive up to 100% of what your husband was receiving, or was entitled to receive, if you claim at your survivor full retirement age. You can start reduced survivor benefits as early as 60, or 50 if you are disabled. In many cases you can take one benefit first and switch to the other later, for example taking a survivor benefit now and switching to your own larger benefit at 70. The household does lose one of the two checks, which is why survivor planning should start while both spouses are living.
Absolutely. Single women and women who never married are planning on one income, with no spousal or survivor benefit to fall back on. That makes Social Security timing, guaranteed income, healthcare planning and a clear estate plan even more important. Our planning is built around your life, not a template.
Yes. Women live longer and are more likely to need care later in life, often after they have cared for a spouse. Medicare does not pay for most long-term custodial care. Planning ahead with savings, insurance or hybrid life and long-term care strategies gives you more choices and helps protect your independence.
No. We meet in person with women in Orlando and across Central Florida, including Kissimmee, Lakeland, Ocala and Tampa, and we meet by video with women anywhere in the United States.
It is a free, no-pressure meeting where we look at where you stand today, answer your questions and show you how income, Social Security, taxes, healthcare and legacy fit together. You leave with clarity about your next steps whether or not you choose to work with us. You can book online or call (407) 974-7100.
Book a free, no-pressure Retirement Clarity Session. We will look at where you stand today and show you how to make your money last as long as you do.
In person in Orlando and Central Florida, or by video anywhere in the U.S.
