23/06/2026
💗 Women often live longer, and while that is not something we talk about often, it is important.
23 June is International Widows’ Day, a reminder of the emotional, practical and financial realities many women face after losing a partner.
In Australia, the latest ABS data shows life expectancy at birth is 81.1 years for males and 85.1 years for females. That is a 4-year gap.
For many women, this means there may be a stage of life where they are managing money, retirement income, housing decisions, estate matters, super, insurance and aged care decisions on their own.
Sometimes for the first time, and that can feel incredibly overwhelming if one person in the relationship has always “handled the finances”.
This is about making sure both people in a relationship understand the basics:
• Where the money is
• What income you would have if one person passed away
• What happens to super and pensions
• What insurance is in place
• Where important documents are kept
• Who has access to accounts
• Whether wills, beneficiaries and estate planning are up to date
• What your retirement plan looks like as a couple and as individuals
Financial confidence is about being able to make decisions during a time when life already feels heavy enough.
Research from the ABS also shows that retired women are more likely than retired men to rely on their partner’s income to meet living costs at retirement. That is an important conversation for couples, families and women approaching retirement.
At Steps Financial, we help women, couples and families make sense of the full picture, including retirement planning, super, insurance, estate planning, investments and long-term financial strategy.
If your partner usually manages the money, this is your gentle reminder to get involved. Ask questions, know where things are, understand what would happen next.
