Women and Money

No matter how you slice the economic pie, women are coming up with the smallest portion.

While it's true that more than half of all American women bring home paycecks today, women generally earn less than men. And, to compound the problem, women too often neglect their personal finances.

In a three-part series on "Women and Money" beginning today on Page 12, the Monitor reports that many women still choose Victorian idealism over 20 th-centrury realism when it comes to financial responsibility. A whole generation of women have been taught to pursue moneymaking careers. But too many of these women have not been taught to devote enough attention to the money they make.

The series includes interviews with financial advisers and women who have successfully taken charge of their own finances. Offering guidelines for women on taxes, insurance, savings, investment, and long-term financial plans, these experts also provide advice on overcoming stereotypes that may keep women from taking chage financially.