Men control 60% of household finances. Here’s why they shouldn’t

August 2, 2026 — 5:01am

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Having worked in the male-dominated field of finance for over 10 years now, I’ve seen many positive changes take place for women.

Today, Australian women are attending university at record levels, making their earning potential higher than ever. More of us are also entering the workforce and remaining there for longer than previous generations of women, meaning our superannuation balances are on track to leave us in much better stead for our retirements.

We’re also seeing women from all generations improving their financial literacy and confidence around money, which is translating into very real and tangible benefits when it comes to growing personal wealth.

After all these years though, one thing that I still so often see is that when it comes to seeking advice on big decisions or long-term financial strategies, women are still deferring to the men in their life – be it their fathers, their brothers or their partners.

Of course, this isn’t a bad thing if these people happen to be qualified to give you advice tailored for your goals and that works for your strategy, but that’s rarely why it happens.

While women seeking advice from men no longer surprises me, what does still leave me shocked is just how rarely I still see the reverse happen. And in failing to realise what an incredible financial asset a woman’s opinion can be – especially when it comes to long-term financial decisions – men are seriously missing out. Let me explain why.

It’s easy to forget that until relatively recently, it wasn’t uncommon for Australian households to see mums work part-time or not at all.

For starters, men tend to have a much greater appetite for risk. When money is involved, that plays out in a........

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