Why Many Women Retire Broke—and How to Change That

Across Botswana and beyond, thousands of women are heading toward retirement with little to no wealth. Not because they didn’t work hard—but because the system, culture, and financial habits often work against them.

At Legacy Ladder, we believe every woman deserves clarity, protection, and a structured path to generational wealth. But before we can build solutions, we must confront the uncomfortable truth: many women retire broke.

5 Reasons Women Retire Broke

1. Late Start in Wealth Building

For many women, early adulthood is defined by caregiving, raising children, supporting siblings, or holding families together. While noble and essential, these responsibilities often push financial planning and investment to the background. By the time many women turn their attention to wealth-building, they’ve already lost decades of compounding opportunities.

The result? Retirement savings that lag far behind, even if they earn good salaries later in life.

2. Overreliance on Funeral Cover

Across Botswana, funeral policies are popular—but they do not build wealth. They cover the cost of burial but leave nothing for children, grandchildren, or surviving spouses.Too many women mistake funeral cover for financial protection, when in reality:

There is no wealth transfer.
The next generation inherits nothing beyond emotional loss.
True protection (life cover, annuities, investments) is ignored.

Funeral cover pays for burial, not legacy.

3. No Will, No Trust, No Clarity

Estate planning is often overlooked. Many women avoid conversations about death, inheritance, and asset protection, viewing them as taboo.

But the cost of silence is devastating:

Probate delays leave families financially stranded.
Property disputes among relatives tear families apart.
Without a will or trust, hard-earned assets can easily be lost or mismanaged.

A life’s work can vanish in months if it’s not legally protected.

4. Emotional Spending & Financial Silence

Women are natural givers. They support children, relatives, and even partners financially. Yet in many cases, this generosity comes at the cost of their own future security.Add to this the culture of financial silence—where women rarely discuss money openly—and the pattern is clear:

Emotional spending replaces structured investing.
Dependence on others replaces financial independence.
Immediate needs overshadow long-term goals.

5. Divorce, Widowhood & Dependency

Life changes like divorce or widowhood can be financially devastating—especially if wealth was never built in the woman’s name.

In grey divorce (divorce later in life), many women lose access to pensions, property, or shared assets.
In widowhood, pensions may stop, property may be disputed, and income may disappear overnight.
Without independent financial planning, dependency becomes a lifelong trap.

How to Change the Story

The good news is: it’s never too late to take control. Women can rewrite their financial stories with the right tools, guidance, and mindset.At Legacy Ladder, we help women:

Start voluntary retirement plans to build additional income beyond employer pensions.
Secure life cover that ensures dependents inherit wealth, not debts.
Create wills and living trusts to protect and transfer assets smoothly.
Invest strategically in assets like ETFs, real estate, or structured products.
Build financial literacy and confidence to break the cycle of silence and dependency.

The Legacy Ladder Approach

We believe in empowering women to retire with dignity and independence. Through workshops, one-on-one financial clinics, and tailored wealth strategies, we guide women to:

Move from survival to stability.
Build generational wealth, not just income.
Retire not with worry—but with peace and freedom.

Don’t wait until retirement to discover the gaps. Start today.

Book a consultation with Legacy Ladder and take the first step toward rewriting your financial story—for yourself, and for generations to come here: For Individuals - Legacy Ladder