Women historically have let men plan for retirement. The old rules have changed, but women still are searching for how should navigate the path to post-work life. And that path is different than it is for men.

Unfortunately, even now in 2020, women tend to take a back seat when it comes to working out the details of their financial future. This is troublesome, given that, on average, women still live longer than men and therefore have a real stake in how long their retirement income will last.

Nearly every woman will have sole responsibility for her finances at some stage in her life. Some will choose not to marry. Many will divorce. And even married women need to consider their income prospects, weighing the facts that if they’re widowed, they’ll lose one Social Security check and possibly at least part of a pension check and will probably have to pay more in taxes when they file as an individual.