Aussie net worth varied greatly along gender lines, the study showed.
How do you measure up?
A new study has revealed how much the average Australian has tucked away in savings, shares, home equity and super – and it’s exposed a brutal truth about our country.
The average Aussie with savings was reported to have about $36,298, while the balance of the average personal superannuation fund was $176,221, according to the results of a Finder survey.
Finder noted that these figures obscured a massive wealth gap among genders, with the average adult male having about double the savings and super as women.
Men on average had about $50,400 locked away in savings, while women tended to have about $22,000 put away for a rainy day.
The average man had about $240,000 in super, while women had $113,000.
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Sarah Megginson, personal finance expert at Finder, said the figures were alarming.
“The fact that on average men have more than double the amount of savings compared to women is a clear indication of deeper systemic inequalities,” she said.
“It’s not that men are simply better savers, the disparity is more about the financial and social hurdles women are more likely to face throughout their lives.”
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The survey, conducted in July and released this month, was based on a sample of adult Australians that was representative of nationwide demographics.
It also revealed how much the average share investor owned and how much equity homeowners had.
It’s worth noting that Australians who own shares remain a minority.
Finder personal finance expert Sarah Megginson said income inequalities exacerbate the gender wealth divide when it comes to investments.
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And when it comes to homeownership, roughly a third of adults rent, another third is paying off their home, while the rest either live in a fully paid off property or in other accommodation like social housing.
The finding comes after Finance guru David Koch implored young Aussies to stop blaming others for their financial issues, last month.
In a letter for Yahoo Finance, Koch told young homebuyers to put their heads down and work hard to achieve their home ownership goals.
Koch said young Australians need to “stop the blame game” in regard to the housing and has defended Baby Boomers in the process.
Finance guru David Koch has implored young Aussies to stop blaming others for their financial issues.
The former Channel 7 star also pointed out young homebuyers believe his generation has “put them on the chopping block” despite the “Bank of Mum and Dad” sitting sixth on the list of home lenders.
But homeownership isn’t the only area raising eyebrows.
It turns out men who owned shares had a portfolio worth about double the value of the average woman.
Male share investors had an average portfolio value of roughly $73,000 while for women it was $38,000. The nationwide average was just under $60,000.
Home equity was the one area where men and women measured up equally – possibly because most people co-owned their properties with a partner of the opposite sex.
Men had an average of $487,000 in home equity, while women had about $485,000.
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Men and women tended to be on an even footing when it came to home equity.
Finder’s Equal Pay Day Report, launched in partnership with UN Women Australia, found women were almost four times more likely to say having a baby had been detrimental to their earning capacity.
Simone Clarke, CEO of UN Women Australia, said the report underscored the persistent and pervasive nature of the gender pay gap in Australia.
“Addressing these issues requires a multifaceted approach, including improving access to affordable childcare, promoting flexible work arrangements, and challenging traditional gender roles and cultural norms,” Ms Clarke said.
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