Women won’t wait for retirement to finance dreams

Women are allocating their time, money and energy to both traditional investments like real estate, but also personal causes related to family, themselves and the world at large.

According to a new white paper, Rich Thinking: A Global Study — How Smart Women are Investing/Spending their Resources in 2013, by portfolio manager Barbara Stewart, women are not waiting until retirement to pursue their dreams: they are devoting considerable resources to their families, themselves, and saving the world.

Read: Most women dissatisfied with investment industry

These findings, released today to coincide with International Women’s Day, are the result of in-depth interviews that were conducted throughout 2012 with almost 100 diverse and accomplished women living around the world.

“The most important finding of this year’s Rich Thinking study was that women are not waiting for retirement to begin pursuing the interests that they are passionate about: they are defining, creating and financing their dreams now,” says Barbara Stewart, CFA and portfolio manager at Cumberland Private Wealth Management Inc.

Read: Retirement planning crucial for women

“And traditional asset mix charts do not tell that story: investing can take many forms, not all of which show up on a balance sheet. The majority of women are deeply engaged in the pursuit of various personal causes and how they allocate their time, energy and money is aligned with what matters most to them.”

According to the report, women are aligning their work with their personal values.

Read: Women now breadwinners

“Despite the disappointing statistics of growth rates regarding women on Boards of Directors and in corner offices, women are not postponing saving their family, the world or their soul – they are getting on with it. Smart women around the world are actively involved in pursuing their personal passions and they are spending their time, energy and money to make things happen now, including investing in women-led organizations, believing this is the best way to accelerate change and ensure a better future for all.”

Read: 8 ways women can advance in capital markets

Staff

The staff of Advisor.ca have been covering news for financial advisors since 1998.