Guardian report reveals women are walking a fiscal tightrope, directly impacting their mental, physical, and financial health

New York, N.Y.—July 28, 2025—The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America^® (Guardian) has released new research about women’s well-being, finding that while the majority of women associate well-being with strong mental and physical health, achieving it is becoming harder.

The most widely cited obstacle standing in the way of achieving their mental and physical wellness goals is financial stress. While more than two-thirds (69%) of women identify as the primary financial decision-maker in their household, the report found that just 26% of women report good financial health. When asked to name their top sources of stress, five of the top six responses were related to finances—including money and finances (54%), cost of living (53%), mental health (37%), paying off debt (36%), saving for retirement (36%), and housing costs (35%). Additionally, since 2016, women have consistently reported lower financial wellness than men.

Financial challenges are particularly pronounced for women who are caregivers and single mothers. For example, Guardian’s report found that 55% of single mothers and 44% of women caregivers rate their financial health as fair or poor—compared to 38% of women overall.

“Financial stress has an outsized impact on overall well-being. While both men and women are subject to stress, turmoil, and uncertainty, the data shows that the impact is more profound for women,” said Erin Culek, Head of Financial Protection & Retirement Solutions at Guardian. “Whether building emergency funds or planning for retirement, working with a financial professional improves financial confidence and can help support women in their pursuit of their own physical and mental well-being goals.”

Other key findings of the report include:

• Across many well-being factors, women self-report lower scores than men, including:

  • 35% of women say they have good emotional health, vs. 42% of men

  • 33% of women say they have good physical health, vs. 43% of men

  • 29% of women say they are good at managing finances, vs. 37% of men

• 58% of women say they’re just making ends meet or are struggling to keep up financially, and 41% say they are very to extremely concerned about paying monthly bills.

• When it comes to fears about their financial future, 50% of women are worried their retirement savings won’t last, 49% are concerned about having a guaranteed source of income in retirement, and 47% are concerned about having sufficient emergency savings to cover unexpected expenses.

• Almost all (93%) of women name physical health as key to their overall wellness, but just one-third rate their own physical health as good. Behind this disconnect is the fact that just 28% rate themselves as good at eating a healthy diet and 26% say they are good at getting enough exercise.

• 93% of women say their mental health is extremely important or essential to their wellness, but only 11% rate themselves as taking excellent care of their mental health.

• 84% of women say that maintaining work/life balance is essential to their personal wellness.

To view the complete report, please visit guardianlife.com/reports/womens-well-being.

Media contact:
mediarelations@glic.com

About Guardian

Guardian makes a difference in the lives of people when they need us most. With 165 years of stability and fiscal integrity, we are a trusted resource to generations of families and business owners, inspiring well-being and helping build financial confidence. Today, we stand behind millions of consumers, helping them prepare and plan for a bright future for themselves and their families. We help business owners care for their employees. And we help people recover and thrive in times of unexpected loss. As a modern mutual insurance company, we believe in driving value beyond dividends. We invest in our colleagues, are building an inclusive and innovative culture, and are helping to uplift communities through thoughtful corporate impact programs. Guardian, which is based in New York City, is a leading provider of life, disability, dental, and other benefits, and has received accolades for its culture and service. Our colleagues and financial professionals serve with care and experience, and our commitments rest on a strong financial foundation, which included a 2025 dividend allocation of $1.6 billion – the largest in the company's history. For more information, visit guardianlife.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.