Each year, International Women’s Day invites reflection on equality, security and long-term empowerment. One area receiving far less attention, but which is deeply connected to all three, is estate planning. Increasingly, financial associations and other professional bodies are encouraging women to take an active role in planning their legal and financial futures, recognising estate planning is not simply about death, but about autonomy, protection, healthcare and intergenerational stability.
A primary reason estate planning is particularly important for women is their increased longevity. A longer lifespan often means more years managing finances alone, making healthcare decisions, and navigating aged-care or capacity issues. Without a clear Will, Enduring Power of Attorney or Advance Care Planning documents, those later years can become legally and emotionally complex, both for women themselves and for the families who support them.
Structural financial inequality also plays a role. Persistent gender pay gaps, time out of the workforce for caregiving, and lower average superannuation balances mean many women retire with fewer financial resources. Estate planning becomes a practical tool to manage that inequality: ensuring assets are protected, benefits are directed intentionally, and trust decision-makers are formally appointed before any capacity issues arise.
Caregiving responsibilities further underscore the importance of estate planning. Women are disproportionately likely to be primary carers for children, ageing parents, or family members with a disability. Estate planning in this context is not only about distributing wealth; it is about safeguarding dependants, structuring support, and preventing disputes that could destabilise vulnerable families.
Domestic and family violence is another critical, though often unspoken, reason estate planning matters for women. In Australia, one in four women has experienced violence by an intimate partner since the age of 15, and financial abuse is widely recognised as a common feature of coercive control. Such abuse can include restricting access to money, forcing financial decisions, or preventing a person from seeking legal advice. These dynamics can leave women without practical control over assets, decision-making authority, or even clarity about their own legal positions.
Importantly, the call for women to prioritise estate planning is not coming from a single voice. Public Trustees, estate-planning lawyers, trustee companies, financial planning organisations and domestic-violence advocacy groups all encourage women work proactively with professional advisers. Their shared message is consistent: thoughtful planning strengthens independence, reduces the risk of future conflict, and creates legally enforceable safeguards around assets and authority.
As estate planning lawyers, we can share our knowledge and collaborate with other professional advisers to create a framework that supports women prioritising their estate planning.
Helping women put clear legal structures around their wishes is not merely a technical exercise, it’s a practical expression of empowerment, ensuring that a lifetime of care, work, and contribution is carried forward with clarity and intention.
