Heroines Festival Book Month Program

Every Woman’s Guide
to Retirement
Experienced lawyer Alice Mantel writes as
a friendly, wise adviser to clearly explain
the complex situations that many women
encounter during retirement. Her guide,
Every Woman’s Guide to Retirement
responds to the fact that women
experience retirement differently to men.
Women generally live longer, have less
money and volunteer more than their male
counterparts. During the last third of her
life, women often takes on many roles –
caring for parents, children, grandchildren
and partners – that often leave them
little time for themselves. Every Woman’s
Guide to Retirement offers personal and
comprehensive guidance using researched
information and case studies to assist
women to prepare and make the most of
their retirement.
Alice spoke with Alice Dale of the Law
Society. She explained that she started
writing this book before she retired: “I
was initially doing research to answer my
own questions. Years ago, when placing
my mother into a nursing home, I realised
how difficult it was to find any sensible
information to assist me. More recently,
I wanted some guidance when I was
thinking about closing my practice. After
a while, I decided that most books or
articles did not seem very relevant to me.
They were often very friendly but aimed
at chaps who were fairly well off or aimed
at women who presumably intended
to spend the last third of their life on
continual holidays. My research gradually
grew into a book that is far more extensive
than I had ever contemplated and includes
mundane topics like accessing your
pension as well as more interesting options
such as lifelong learning or starting a new
relationship.”
What issues specifically apply to women?
I see retirement as very different for
women than men. Generally, women are
the main carers for their parents, children,
partners and grandchildren. At the same
time, they come into retirement with
significantly less financial resources but live
on average five years longer. If they do not
have enough resources, those last years
are going to be close to living in poverty.
It can be a very grim prospect if a woman’s
health begins to suffer and there is not
always the certainty that your children will
be there to look after you.
What about social planning for
retirement?
Most women retiring today can expect to
have another 20 years of relatively good
health, so it simply isn’t enough to plan
your one big overseas trip and think that’s
all there is to it. For working women, one
of the major issues around retirement is
the loss of their work identity, the loss of
income and the social connectedness that
professional life brings. We need to plan
at least a year ahead of retirement about
how we can use our skills and experience
in the non-employment sphere – and let
me assure you, that is a very large sphere.
There are so many not-for-profit agencies
looking for directors on their boards or
volunteers for their operations. Not having
to follow a work routine means you can
finally pursue your real passion – whether
it is art, woodwork, or caring for your
grandkids and even if it might take a little
time to find what that is, it will give real
meaning to the legacy you leave.
Quotes from “Six minutes with Alice
Mantel” by Alice Dale, Law Society Journal
online.
44 45