Everyone needs to make solid plans for retirement. Traditionally, many women have been conditioned to leaving these decisions to men. However, statistics show that women have an even greater need to invest and save for their retirement than men do.

• Women typically live longer than men - about six years longer.¹
  
  
• The number of divorced people has more than quadrupled, from 4.3 million in 1970 to 18.3 million in 1996.²
  
  
• The average woman earns 76 cents for every dollar a man earns.³
  
  
• Women are out of the labor force approximately 12 years for child rearing.⁴
  
  
• Women are less likely to receive a pension, and those who do recieve a pension collect half as much as men.⁵
  
  
• Over 58% of female baby boomers have less than $10,000 saved in a pension plan or 401(K) plan. In comparison, male baby boomers have saved three times more in pension programs.⁵
  
  
• The median income of women 65 and older in 1996 was $8,189.⁵
  
  
• In 1996, 71% of the nation's 4 million elderly poor were women.⁵
  
  
• The average age of widowhood in the United States is 56.⁵
  
  
• Women tend to invest more conservatively than men, putting their money in lower-risk vehicles like certificates of deposit and bonds rather than stocks. This strategy can backfire if returns aren't sufficient to cover retirement costs.
  
  

Women Have Come A Long Way…But Still Have A Long Way To Go… And Huntington Can Help Them Get There!

Women have overcome many tough hurdles in the last few decades…and retirement planning is just one more challenge that can be met successfully. By taking a few common-sense steps, women can begin to take charge of their financial future.

First, every woman should ask herself…

• "Will I have enough money to live on?"
  
  
• "Where will my income come from?"
  
  
• "Will I outlive my money?"
  
  

And three important elements of a sound retirement strategy help answer these questions:

• Making effective use of asset allocation
  
  
• Focusing on capital growth rather than fixed income
  
  
• Looking at the potential of equity investing to grow income
  
  

To find out more about putting smart retirement strategies to work for you, click here for more information on "Retirement Planning with The Huntington Funds".

¹National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 37, No. 19, 6/30/99. ²1998 Census Bureau Report. ³Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1/27/99. ⁴Women and Retirement, prepared by the National Economic Council Interagency Working Group on Social Security, 10/27/98. ⁵National Center for Women and Retirement Research Web site (NCWRR).