Reply to Tell me how much you have saved in your 401K at age 40.

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Reply to "Tell me how much you have saved in your 401K at age 40."

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Interesting how in most cases here - the DHs have a lot more than the DWs. Are the DHs earning that much more? Or are the DHs maxing out while the DWs are responsible for additional bills like childcare?[/quote]

My theories would be:

1) Maybe the men get started saving earlier while the women party on in their 20s?
2) Women take time out from work to care for children -- opportunity cost.
3) Yes, salary disparity.

I doubt it's "additional bills."[/quote]

Don't think No 1 is the case - women have been shown to be savers more than men even at young ages. Though I do think disproportionately more men go into engineering and finance and start career jobs at 22, while more women get liberal arts degrees and start in lower paid office jobs as they find their career ladder; those yrs in your 20s matter. And then when there are babies - far more women can't or won't travel, need to be done work at 5 pm, and now more and more require 1-2 days of work from home per week. You just can't do that and expect your salary to grow as fast as men who will travel many days per month or week, can stay late or work a weekend anytime, and don't seek work from home situations. I think more 10-20 yrs that leads to DHs having bigger 401ks. I do know a few households where daycare bills fall on the wife -- it's seen as her expense so she can work, so then there's even less chance to max out while the DH leaves his contributions untouched.[/quote]

I know multiple households where daycare is paid for by stopping the wife's contributions to her 401k.  [/quote]

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