Creative Junction Magazine August 4th | Page 28

It’s a well known fact that statistically women live longer than men, but what does this mean when it comes to financial preparedness? Yvonne Clarke from Quantum Financial says women need to think carefully about Kiwisaver and planning for retirement. “For women, we live longer than men therefore need more money in our retirement,” she says. According to Statistics NZ, the current life expectancy of a female is 84 years compared to 81 years for a male. “Even receiving a Government super, most women still rely on their savings to support their retirement,” says Yvonne. “Those 3 years can make a huge difference to someone who is already dealing with the loss of a spouse.” “You can never be too cautious, it sounds harsh but it can become a reality all too easily for some women.” Divorce and separation later in life can also lead to financial difficulty says Yvonne. “Women have time off to have children and periods where they haven’t worked, which means they have less money put away in Kiwisaver. This can put them into strife for something that was a family decision at the time.” Yvonne says the number one tip she gives women is to be involved in the family finances. “Be involved and talk about money, don’t let money be A recent survey from Massey University has said that the average person needs to have saved $101,774 by the time they’re 65 to bridge the gap between superannuation and covering basic expenses. Yvonne says blended families can complicate things further. “When you’re relying on your spouses assets to help cover expenses, it could come as a shock when other family members gain inheritance.” She says this is why it’s so important for women to be involved in asset planning. Protecting your Assets a single-person decision- you make decisions as a family.” Yvonne Clarke is a Mortgage Broker for Quantum Financial. The team of experienced Northland  financial advisers specialising in independent mortgage advice. For more information visit www. quantumfinancial.kiwi.