According to EBRI data, there is a stark gap in retirement preparation between married and unmarried women in the U.S.

Women break into their savings to cover all kinds of expenses: home down payments, repairs, medical bills. That can hurt them years later.

Much of the earnings gap arose because women are more likely than men to have responsibilities outside of work that necessitate predictable schedules, such as bringing elderly parents to doctors’ appointments or picking children up from school.

A lack of child care and elder care options has forced some women to limit their hours or sidelined them altogether, hurting their career prospects.

Many Americans agree it now takes a six-figure salary — at least — to get by amid today’s rising prices and economic uncertainty.

Women who fall behind in earnings and benefits often find themselves in dire straits when they're older, with annual retirement incomes lagging $5,000 behind older men.