
Home » Insights » Family & Finance » Secure Act Law & Retirement for Women
Jenna Dana
JD, LL.M.
When it comes to saving for retirement, women must overcome several barriers: women tend to live longer than men (age 81 vs. age 76)1, get paid less (82 cents for every dollar)2, and don’t save enough for retirement. According to a report by the World Economic Forum, women in the U.S. face a retirement savings gap of 10 years, meaning they should expect to live 10 years longer than the money they have saved for retirement.3
The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Act (“SECURE Act”) introduced new provisions which may give you more choices when it comes to saving for retirement and your other life goals. Here are some notable changes you should be aware of. (Visit our SECURE Act page to learn more).
A study from the Transamerica Institute showed that both men and women believe they need to save $500,000 to feel financially secure in retirement.4 That $500,000 number may seem like a lot or too little—or maybe it feels abstract because it’s hard to connect a number like that to your daily life.
As part of the SECURE Act, retirement plan providers will now have to show your retirement account balances as it translates into monthly income. Seeing your retirement account balance as a monthly income stream may help you reframe the dollar amount as something more tangible. Similar to the way you would use your monthly income, or paycheck, to determine your cash flow, this monthly dollar amount may help in framing how much you’ll have during retirement.
Are you seeing a theme? You can now save for retirement forever (or as long as you want to and can continue to work). The new retirement laws mean there is no age limit to when you can contribute to your retirement account, whether you have a traditional or Roth Individual Retirement Account (IRA). Plus, you can now wait until age 72 (up from age 70) to take required minimum distributions from your 410(k) and traditional IRA accounts. This translates to more time to save, giving your retirement funds more time to grow, which is critical for women who need a larger nest egg to account for their longevity.
It’s no secret that having and raising children requires significant funds. The SECURE Act allows new parents to take penalty-free distributions from their retirement plans within a year of the birth of a child or adoption to cover related expenses, up to $5,000. The traditional 10% penalty would not apply for these distributions. These provisions may provide additional income for families when they need it most.
Twenty-five percent of women work part time (34 hours a week or less) compared to 12 percent of men.5 If you’re part of the 25 percent, you now have more choices when it comes to saving for retirement. The SECURE Act now requires employers to offer 401(k) benefits to part-time workers who have worked at least 500 hours per year for at least three consecutive years.
The SECURE Act makes it easier for small businesses to offer employer retirement plans. Small business owners can now join with other employers to set up and offer 401(k) plans with fewer liability concerns and less cost. With over 50 percent of businesses in the U.S owned by women, 6 this provision helps to lift all tides—women business owners and employed women. Small businesses typically have not offered retirement savings options, so the hope here is that more small business employees will be able to take advantage of employer-sponsored plans.
1 United States Life Tables, 2017, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 6/24/19. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr68/nvsr68_07-508.pdf
2 Semega, Jessica, “Payday, Poverty, and Women,” U.S. Census Bureau, 9/10/19. https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2019/09/payday-poverty-and-women.html
3 “Investing in (and for) Our Future” white paper, World Economic Forum, 06/19. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Investing_in_our_Future_report_2019.pdf
4 “19 Facts About Women’s Retirement Outlook,” Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, 11/19. https://www.transamericacenter.org/docs/default-source/women-and-retirement/tcrs2019_sr_women_and_retirement_research_report.pdf
5 TED: The Economics Daily, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 12/1/17. https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2017/percentage-of-employed-women-working-full-time-little-changed-over-past-5-decades.htm
6 Women Business Owner Statistics, National Association of Women Business Owners https://www.nawbo.org/resources/women-business-owner-statistics
Mercer Advisors Inc. is the parent company of Mercer Global Advisors Inc. and is not involved with investment services. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. (“Mercer Advisors”) is registered as an investment advisor with the SEC. The firm only transacts business in states where it is properly registered or is excluded or exempted from registration requirements.
All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the author as of the date of publication and are subject to change. Some of the research and ratings shown in this presentation come from third parties that are not affiliated with Mercer Advisors. The information is believed to be accurate but is not guaranteed or warranted by Mercer Advisors. Content, research, tools and stock or option symbols are for educational and illustrative purposes only and do not imply a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell a particular security or to engage in any particular investment strategy. For financial planning advice specific to your circumstances, talk to a qualified professional at Mercer Advisors.
Past performance may not be indicative of future results. Therefore, no current or prospective client should assume that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy or product made reference to directly or indirectly, will be profitable or equal to past performance levels. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. Changes in investment strategies, contributions or withdrawals may materially alter the performance and results of your portfolio. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that any specific investment will either be suitable or profitable for a client’s investment portfolio. Historical performance results for investment indexes and/or categories, generally do not reflect the deduction of transaction and/or custodial charges or the deduction of an investment-management fee, the incurrence of which would have the effect of decreasing historical performance results. Economic factors, market conditions, and investment strategies will affect the performance of any portfolio and there are no assurances that it will match or outperform any particular benchmark.
This document may contain forward-looking statements including statements regarding our intent, belief or current expectations with respect to market conditions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. While due care has been used in the preparation of forecast information, actual results may vary in a materially positive or negative manner. Forecasts and hypothetical examples are subject to uncertainty and contingencies outside Mercer Advisors’ control.
with one of our talented wealth advisors who will help you connect all your financial dots
All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Portfolio management strategies such as diversification, asset allocation, and rebalancing do not ensure a profit or guarantee against loss. There is no guarantee that any investment strategy will achieve its objectives. Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc. Mercer Advisors Inc. is a Delaware corporation and is in no way affiliated with Mercer LLC, Mercer Investments, or the Marsh & McLennan Companies. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and delivers all investment-related services. Mercer Advisors Inc. is the parent company of Mercer Global Advisors Inc. and is not involved with investment services. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the CFP® certification mark, the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification mark, and the CFP® certification mark (with plaque design) logo in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. CFA® and Chartered Financial Analyst® are registered trademarks owned by CFA Institute.
Terms & Conditions | Privacy and Security Center | Firm Brochure Adv Part 2A | Form CRS.
©2023 Mercer Global Advisors Inc. All rights reserved.
If you have questions related to our terms and conditions please email [privacy (at) merceradvisors (dot) com]. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.