New HSBC research highlights a “Financial Fluency Gap” and the need for personalized financial planning, with 70% of affluent women saying advice tailored to their life stage would improve financial decisions

KEY FINDINGS

• Only 32% of affluent women say they feel prepared for their own long‑term care needs, and only 29% feel prepared for their aging costs.
• 70% say financial education tailored to their life stage would improve their financial decisions.
• Less than half of affluent women feel supported by their financial advisor or financial institution.
• Nearly two‑thirds of affluent women say they financially plan for others, not just themselves.
• 43% of affluent women prioritize leaving financial security to loved ones, significantly more than men.

As the Great Wealth Transfer accelerates, women are poised to take on an unprecedented role in global financial decision‑making. By 2030, women are expected to control more than 40% of global wealth, representing one of the most significant shifts in financial power in modern history¹. Yet new research from HSBC finds that many affluent women, while highly engaged in their financial lives, still feel unprepared for the complex financial decisions that accompany this growing responsibility.

The findings, based on a new study conducted by HSBC in partnership with Ipsos, show that while women are earning, saving, investing and planning for the future, many still lack the financial fluency needed to confidently navigate key decisions as their responsibilities evolve across life stages.

The research identifies what HSBC calls the Financial Fluency Gap, the space between financial literacy and the ability to apply financial knowledge strategically over time.

The report highlights that financial literacy refers to understanding the basics of money and investing, financial fluency goes further. It is the ability to apply that knowledge to real‑world decisions: knowing what to do and when to do it, and how to address competing financial goals as life evolves.

These findings challenge long‑held assumptions about women and wealth. The issue is not effort or ambition, but whether financial advice has evolved to reflect women’s life stages, responsibilities, priorities and longer‑term realities.

As women’s lives grow more complex, from supporting children and aging parents to navigating longer life expectancies, traditional financial advice designed around static life stages may no longer reflect how women actually manage wealth.

“Our research shows that women are highly engaged in their financial lives, but engagement alone isn’t enough,” said Racquel Oden, Head of International Wealth Management and Private Banking, U.S. at HSBC. “Financial fluency goes beyond financial literacy. It’s the ability to understand what to do and when to do it as life evolves. Closing the Fluency Gap means financial institutions must do more to provide guidance that shifts with women’s lives and helps them navigate those changing priorities with clarity and confidence.”

“Throughout my work with Know Your Value, I’ve seen that women are incredibly capable and deeply engaged when it comes to building their futures,” said Mika Brzezinski, co‑host of Morning Joe on MSNOW and founder of the Know Your Value movement. “But many women still feel unsure about how to translate what they know into financial decisions that support their lives and goals. That’s why the idea of financial fluency is so important. When women understand their options and feel comfortable asking questions, they’re better able to advocate for themselves and build a financial plan that truly reflects their priorities.”

As women take on an increasingly central role in wealth creation, inheritance and financial decision‑making, the findings highlight the need for financial guidance that reflects the realities of women’s lives and the complexity of their financial priorities.

This presents a significant opportunity for financial institutions to move beyond traditional financial literacy efforts and support women with financial fluency — equipping them to make informed decisions, navigate trade‑offs and build long‑term resilience for themselves and future generations.

About the Research

The findings are detailed in the report The Financial Glow Up: The Fluency Gap in Women’s Wealth, based on an HSBC online survey conducted in partnership with Ipsos from January 5–8, 2026.

The study surveyed 2,056 individuals with investable assets over $100,000, including 1,045 women, age 18+, with investable assets > 100k, from the U.S., across multiple age groups and backgrounds. The starting sample was weighted to be representative of the U.S. population on age, race/ethnicity, education and Census region. Generation definitions used in this report: Gen Z (born 1997-2012), Millennials (1981-1996), Gen X (1965-1980), Baby Boomers (1946–1964).

View the full report here: https://www.about.us.hsbc.com/newsroom/press-releases/hsbc-uncovers-fluency-gap-as-women-set-to-control-40-of-global-wealth

HSBC Holdings plc
HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of HSBC, is headquartered in London. HSBC serves customers worldwide from offices in 56 countries and territories. With assets of US$3,233bn at 31 December 2025, HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations. HSBC Bank USA, National Association (HSBC Bank USA, N.A.) serves customers through International Wealth and Premier Banking (IWPB) and Corporate and Institutional Banking (CIB). Deposit products are offered by HSBC Bank USA, N.A., Member FDIC. It operates Wealth Centers in: California; Washington, D.C.; Florida; New Jersey; New York; Virginia; and Washington. HSBC Bank USA, N.A. is the principal subsidiary of HSBC USA Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of HSBC North America Holdings Inc. HSBC Innovation Banking in the U.S. is a business division with services provided in the United States by HSBC Bank USA, N.A.

About Know Your Value
Mika Brzezinski’s Know Your Value is a movement and multi-touch point platform that helps women recognize, and be recognized for, their personal and professional value by developing and inspiring individual growth.

¹ McKinsey & Co, The new face of wealth: The rise of the female investor, May 2025

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