Poverty Worse for Divorced Women and Single Mothers

Women are more likely than men to suffer from poverty.  The number of women suffering from poverty greatly increases for older women, divorced women and single mothers.  Women are 80 percent more likely to live below the poverty line than men at age 65 and older.  Experts say that the obvious reason for this can be partially attributed to the wage gap between men and women.  It is no secret that on average, men make more money than women.  However, there are several other factors that can be cited as major causes for retirement insecurity among women.  Single mothers and divorced women greatly contribute to the percentage of women living below the poverty line.  These women are more likely to take on caregiving responsibilities for their family, their households and their children, which often result in these women working part-time jobs with lower wages and no benefits such as pensions and health care.  The majority of stay-at-home mothers are not the highly educated, high income earning women that we often see in the media.  The sacrifices some women make for their family and marriages often cause them to live in poverty after the end of their marriage.