When does the gender gap in financial literacy begin?

Preston, A. and Wright, R. E. (2024) When does the gender gap in financial literacy begin? Economic Record, 100(328), pp. 44-73. (doi: 10.1111/1475-4932.12785)

Abstract

Research to date has failed to generate a comprehensive understanding of the source of the gender gap in financial literacy in adulthood. Using microdata from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey and an analysis covering four age groups (15–19, 20–24, 25–29 and 30–34), this paper suggests that the gender gap starts young and well before individuals enter adulthood. The analysis also suggests that that raw (unadjusted) gender gap likely underestimates the underlying gap. It is important to establish whether the gap begins before or after children enter school, since policy aimed at addressing it would be very different.

• Item Type: Articles
• Keywords: Financial literacy, gender gap, Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition, young people, Australia.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Wright, Dr Robert
• Authors: Preston, A., and Wright, R. E.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School
• Journal Name: Economic Record
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 0013-0249
• ISSN (Online): 1475-4932
• Published Online: 13 February 2024
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2023 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Economic Record 100(328):44-73
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons license