Consumer alert: It’s important for women to invest. Here’s how to get started

ROCHESTER, NY – This consumer alert is all about women and investing. Women earn 84 cents for every dollar men earn, but live six to eight years longer. That is why investing is so important.

News10NBC’s Deanna Dewberry recently spoke with Lorna Kapusta, Head of Women and Engagement at Fidelity Investments.

Lorna Kapusta: “Seven in ten women invest in the stock market, and that is up 18 points year on year. So that’s really great news. What we have seen in recent years is young women; Generation Z leads the way with the most women investing. But what we saw in it this study what we’re really excited about is Gen X and boomers had the biggest increase. And why that’s so important is that they realize that they still have many years left and they still have time to get in, and it’s never too late to start investing.”

Deanna Dewberry: “Absolutely. So many people think, ‘I don’t have enough money to invest.’ What do you say to that?”

Kapusta: “So much. And what’s great these days is that you can invest with just a dollar. And if you don’t know how to get started, there’s a lot of help and resources for you.”

Dewberry: “What are some of those resources? To the person who says investing and the stock market, it’s foreign. To me it’s Greek, sister! What do you say to her?’

Kapusta: “So many of us feel that way. Women are twice as likely as men to say they have no knowledge about investing. And that’s okay. What we always talk about is that it starts with having conversations about money and accessing financial education.”

To hear my full conversation with Lorna Kapusta, including her views on whether women should have separate investments from their partners, click below for the full interview.

One of those sources is Fidelity Women talk about money website, a free forum for women looking for investment information.

Another useful resource is Ellevest, a robo-advisor for women designed by women.

And if you’re a student who wants to learn more about the world of investing, Girls who invest offers a tuition-free educational experience for college women interested in finance.