Gender differences in pension wealth: Estimates using provider data

Richard W. Johnson, Usha Sambamoorthi, Stephen Crystal

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

Information from pension providers was examined to investigate gender differences in pension wealth at midlife. For full-time wage and salary workers approaching retirement age who had pension coverage, median pension wealth on the current job was 76% greater for men than women. Differences in wages, years of job tenure, and industry between men and women accounted for most of the gender gap in pension wealth on the current job. Less than one third of the wealth difference could not be explained by gender differences in education, demographics, or job characteristics. The less-advantaged employment situation of working women currently in midlife carries over into worse retirement income prospects. However, the gender gap in pensions is likely to narrow in the future as married women's employment experiences increasingly resemble those of men.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)320-333
Number of pages14
JournalGerontologist
Volume39
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 1999

Keywords

  • Discrimination
  • Income inequality
  • Midlife
  • Pensions
  • Retirement income

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