PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Christian E. Weller AU - Michele E. Tolson TI - Too Little or Too Much? <em>Women’s Economic Risk Exposure</em> AID - 10.3905/jor.2017.4.4.069 DP - 2017 Apr 30 TA - The Journal of Retirement PG - 69--83 VI - 4 IP - 4 4099 - https://pm-research.com/content/4/4/69.short 4100 - https://pm-research.com/content/4/4/69.full AB - One common explanation for the marked inequality of wealth by gender is that women take on less risk in the stock market than men do. However, women and men can face additional risks in the labor and housing markets and through business ownership and caregiving responsibilities. In each case, they face potentially substantial losses of income and savings. The fear of losses from exposure to economic risks can lead people to avoid making decisions to protect themselves, for instance, by saving less and shortening their planning horizons. Widespread risk exposure, especially to hard-to-avoid risks in the labor market and through caregiving, can lower people’s savings. This article uses data from the Survey of Consumer Finances to measure and quantify comprehensive risk exposure for single women and single men. Single women stand to lose larger shares of their earnings than men do, largely because of greater caregiving risk exposure. Their increased risk exposure, especially to hard-to-avoid risks, also correlates with lower savings. Employers and policymakers could consider ways to lower the costs associated with hard-to-avoid risks in the labor market and through caregiving as a way of addressing gender wealth inequality.TOPICS: Wealth management, legal/regulatory/public policy, retirement, in wealth management