Women tend to outlive men–but far too many face poverty in old age. That’s due mainly to the continuing income gap with men, which affects contributions to Social Security and retirement accounts. But researchers also have documented that many women have a financial literacy gap that leads to poor decisions about saving, investing and debt–all of which damange their  retirement security.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau publishes a website aiming to help bridge that gap.  Wi$eUp is a financial education program for women offering free online and offline courses, fact sheets, expert Q&A, free teleconferences and podcasts. The online courses cover the basics of money management, debt, savings, insurance, investing and achieving financial security. Although  WiXeUp is aimed at Gen X and Gen Y women, the lessons offered are relevant for all age groups.

Wi$eUp’s next teleconference is today at 2pm eastern time; it focuses on helping low-income individuals and families build financial resources.

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1. Too many women run the risk of retiring into poverty
2. How income annuities can boost retirement security
3. Recession darkens the retirement outlook for women
4. Five factors to consider if you get a job buyout offer
5. Ten questions to ask when picking a financial planner

Tags | financial literacy, planning, women