On 1 November 2026, SWR Aktuell took the topic“Financial independence: How women can get money” as an opportunity to report on strategies and obstacles facing women in Germany. The subject is timely: numerous studies and publications from 2025 and 2026 show that women remain systematically disadvantaged in several areas, from employment participation and wages to pensions.
Data and analysis point to three interconnected causes. First: pay and employment structures. The Bertelsmann Stiftung reported in March 2026 that women over 45 in particular often remain in part-time work because increasing their hours does not pay financially; this reduces their pension entitlements and wealth accumulation over the long term. Second: gaps in provision and protection. Studies by the WSI and reports from the Federal Ministry of Finance stress that tax and benefit systems such as income splitting for married couples create historic incentives that reinforce financial dependence on partners. Third: barriers to knowledge and access. Representative surveys by market and financial researchers in 2026 show that, despite their interest, many women are less likely to engage actively with financial matters. Reasons include uncertainty, a lack of advice and time constraints caused by unpaid care work.
Political and civil-society responses vary. The Federal Employment Agency points out that educational and advisory services, such as webinars on financial security, can help in the short term; however, specific reforms to tax and pension rules are politically challenging and have not yet been implemented comprehensively. Consumer and industry studies recommend practical measures: making provision early, building emergency savings, gaining access to independent financial education and providing stronger support for flexible forms of employment that are close to full-time.
The effects are long-term: as long as part-time employment rates, pay gaps and tax conditions persist, the risk of poverty in old age and dependency will remain. There are significant differences among women, for example by education, stage of life and migration background, so blanket recommendations are of little use.
The facts and attributions in this report are based on SWR reporting on 1 November 2026 and on verified documents and studies from federal authorities and research institutes published in 2025 and 2026. Forecasts about the impact of policy measures remain uncertain and have been identified as such.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).