More Women Are Out-Earning Their Husbands But Still Picking Up a Heavier Load at Home
The share of women earning as much as or significantly more than their husbands has tripled in the past 50 years.
In 1972, only 11% of marriages were characterized by this situation. Now, nearly one third, or 29% of these marriages are characterized by the same income level.
Stacy Francis is a certified financial planner, president and CEO of Francis Financial, located in New York. Fry stated that "even though there are more egalitarian unions, their duties in the home have not been equally equalized." Pew's research shows that husbands spend more time caring for their wives in marriages with sole breadwinners. She added that there was a solution to the problem, even though there was no quick fix. Francis says she struggled with the same issue early in her marriage. She said, "We needed to have this conversation." Francis and her husband came up with an equitable plan to cover household expenses and tackle shared responsibilities. She said that the key is to discuss what works and what doesn't.