Menopause and your finances

Menopause is the unspoken handicap to a woman’s earning capacity. It is now commonly accepted that the menopause can adversely impact a woman’s ability to work and hence to earn, yet this is typically overlooked when it comes to financial settlements following divorce. This is because the courts have a policy of not “crystal ball gazing” and only assessing financial needs based on the parties' current medical condition. However there are some notable exceptions to this sweeping rule, the most common being where a party has a degenerative medical condition. In this case the Court can, and typically does, make an assessment regarding the future earnings impact. Likewise the Court will also look at the age of parties and how this might impact their future earnings. With this in mind how difficult would it be for the Courts to do the same with the menopause? Whilst it is true that there are varying degrees of symptoms, the NHS quotes that 3 out of 4 women experience symptoms with 1 in 4 experiencing “severe symptoms, which impact on their day-to day life”( Menopause and the workplace | NHS Employers). Statistically this means that we should be paying attention to the menopause, even when dealing with clients who have yet to experience symptoms. There is a very strong argument for projecting a reduction in earnings capacity for women in their 40’s through 50’s, the period that would typically see an individual earn the most in their career. This should also be reflected in the level of pension savings projected for the same reason. For those going through the menopause it should be treated in the same way as any other debilitating medical condition, something that does not happen currently.