Almost half of women in Germany are seriously worried about their financial future. The share of women who are very or very worried about their retirement security is 47%, compared to 35% of men. The data comes from a representative online survey commissioned by the independent financial consultant Finanztip.
The uncertainty is particularly strong among young people. Only 37% of women between the ages of 18 and 29 feel financially secure when it comes to their personal finances. For men in the same age group, this share reaches 55%.
For many women, there is no money left to save
The lack of free money is the biggest obstacle to better financial preparation for almost 45% of women. Every fourth woman, or 26%, has less than 50 euros per month to save, invest or set aside after their regular expenses. For men, this share is 17%, and 36% cite insufficient financial resources as the reason why they cannot do more for their future.
The rising cost of living is the most frequently cited factor in women's financial situation - 51%. This is followed by insufficient income with 36% and debts and loans with 22%. Part-time or reduced-time work is mentioned by 15% of women, compared to only 7% of men.
The difference in paid work also affects pensions
In 2025, men in Germany worked an average of just over 34 hours a week, compared to nearly 28 hours for women. Thus, women spent 18% less time in paid work. At the same time, they performed 72 billion hours of unpaid care work – activities such as raising children, doing housework and looking after loved ones.
These differences affect the ability to save and build up funds for old age. Among the main desires of women are more financial resources – mentioned by 37%, understandable explanations – by 20%, and easy step-by-step instructions – by 17%.