Build Wealth. Protect Your Family. Reclaim Peace of Mind.
More women than ever are leading their households financially, whether as single parents, primary earners in dual-income families, or caregivers supporting multiple generations. Today, more than 4 in 10 U.S. households with children rely on a woman as the primary breadwinner.
But with that leadership comes pressure:
- The stress of being the sole safety net
- The emotional weight of financial imbalance in relationships
- The fear of missing something critical, like tax strategy, estate planning, or insurance coverage
At Mercer Advisors, we understand that being the female breadwinner isn’t easy. You’re balancing responsibility, resilience, and the desire to protect what matters most.
Financial Gaps Female Breadwinners Face & How We Help
Even high earners can miss key planning opportunities. We often see:
- Underinsured households relying solely on employer coverage
- Unmanaged equity compensation (RSUs, ESPPs) with unwelcome tax surprises
- No estate plan or outdated beneficiaries
- Lack of coordination between investments, taxes, and long-term goals
- No plan for caregiving transitions for children, aging parents, or both
We help by offering both advice and execution through a Unified In-House Team of planners, investment managers, tax professionals, and estate attorneys who collaborate to design and implement your plan.
Navigating Emotional & Relational Dynamics
Being the breadwinner can be empowering, but also isolating. Many women tell us:
- “I make good money, but I still feel like I’m winging it.”
- “I’m the one everyone relies on — but I don’t have a backup plan.”
- “I’ve been meaning to get my will done for years.”
And there’s data to back it up: Most primary earner wives spend more time on caregiving and housework than husbands.
Note: A primary breadwinner earns more than 60% of the couple’s joint earnings. A sole breadwinner earns 100% of the couple’s earnings.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 2016-21 American time Use Survey (IPUMS). “In a Growing Share of Marriages, Husband and Wives Earn About the Same”
Specialized Services for Primary Breadwinners
- Dual-Generational Contingency Planning: Emergency financial strategies to help protect both children and aging parents if your income is interrupted.
- Caregiver Compensation Structuring: Planning that quantifies unpaid caregiving and builds a reserve fund to offset lost income or retirement savings.
- Financial Mediation for Household Roles: Facilitated sessions to address income imbalance, household labor, and relationship dynamics with your partner.
- Elder Care Financial Navigation: Guidance on managing parents’ finances, long-term care options, and legal protections without compromising your retirement.
- Legacy Planning Across Generations: Estate planning that balances support for children and aging parents, with coaching to communicate your intentions clearly.
- Burnout Recovery & Sabbatical Planning: Financial modeling for career breaks, including sabbatical funding, identity coaching, and reintegration strategies.
- Caregiver-Centric Cash Flow Management: Flexible budgeting that adapts to unpredictable caregiving expenses and lifestyle disruptions.
- Role-Based Investment Strategy: Portfolio design that prioritizes liquidity, minimizes management time, and aligns with values.
Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice is provided through select third parties unaffiliated to Mercer Advisors. Tax preparation and tax filing are a separate fee from our investment management and planning services.
Strategic Wealth Guidance
for Women Who Lead
As the primary earner, your financial strategy carries unique weight. We help you navigate the complexities of wealth, balance career and family goals, and build a plan designed to help support your success and security—today and tomorrow.
Burnout, Divorce & Career Transitions
Breadwinner burnout is real. So is the emotional toll of managing wealth, caregiving, and relationship dynamics, especially during transitions like divorce or career breaks.
We offer:
- Divorce Planning for Female Breadwinners: Asset division, tax strategy, and long-term modeling
- Sabbatical & Career Break Planning: Funding strategies and reintegration support
- Burnout Recovery Coaching: Financial and emotional planning to help you reset
Whether you’re facing divorce as a female breadwinner or considering a career pivot, we help you protect your wealth and your well-being.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Common risks include underinsurance, lack of estate planning, and uncoordinated tax and investment strategies.
-
We offer integrated divorce planning, including asset division, tax strategy, and long-term financial modeling.
-
Yes. We help you understand, optimize, and plan around RSUs, ESPPs, and stock options, including tax implications.
-
We offer sabbatical planning, cash flow modeling, and reintegration strategies to help you take a break without compromising your future.
-
Even if you don’t have children, a trust can be a powerful tool for managing your wealth and ensuring your assets are distributed according to your wishes. A trust allows you to designate exactly who receives your assets, whether that’s family members, friends, charities, or other beneficiaries. It also helps avoid probate, to help ensure an efficient and private wealth transfer. Finally, a trust can outline who manages your financial affairs if you become incapacitated, providing smooth asset management without court intervention.
