Why are so many women swiping left on motherhood?

In today’s culture, “swiping left” has come to symbolize choice. Women are swiping left on bad dates, bad jobs and outdated expectations. It’s a sign of agency and autonomy, especially among younger women defining their own path. 

That agency increasingly extends to whether or when to become a parent.

In the United States, the average age of first-time mothers rose from 24 in 1990 to nearly 30 in 2023. In Canada, it increased from 26.3 in 1995 to 31.6 in 2022. College educated women in urban centers tend to wait even longer. The drivers are clear: higher levels of education, career prioritization, rising housing costs and lack of financial confidence.

Women now earn 58 percent of U.S. bachelor’s degrees and make up 47 percent of the U.S. labor force. In Canada, women account for more than 56 percent of university graduates and approximately 48 percent of the national labor force. In both countries women are often choosing to establish financial stability before starting a family.

But waiting has consequences. Many parents over 40 are paying for their children’s post-secondary education just as they should be maximizing retirement contributions. In fact, 42 percent of parents over age 40 report providing financial support to adult children. Thirty-three percent of working women aged 55 to 64 say they expect to delay retirement because of financial obligations. In Canada, similar pressures are emerging with women over 50 more likely to carry mortgage and consumer debt into retirement than their male peers.

On the other end, early motherhood also presents challenges. Younger mothers, especially in underserved communities, often face unstable employment and limited access to paid leave. Many turn to high-interest credit or short-term options like payday loans to manage day-to-day expenses. In both the U.S. and Canada, payday lending has expanded significantly over the past decade, with Canadian households now owing more than $1.7 billion in payday loan debt annually. These borrowing patterns often lead to long-term financial setbacks that can impact credit scores, savings and access to affordable financial products.

Kellie Gerardi (@kelliegerardi) is an astronaut, TikTok creator and late‑30s mom who delayed motherhood for IV F journey while building her career.

Another major factor is the motherhood penalty. A reference to the persistent wage loss women experience after becoming mothers. On average, each child is associated with a four percent drop in a woman’s earnings. For Black and Latina mothers, the impact is even more severe with penalties ranging from 10 to 15 percent. In contrast, men often receive a wage boost after becoming fathers.

The gender pay gap persists. In 2024, U.S. women earned 82 cents for every dollar earned by men. For Black women, it was 67 cents. For Latinas, 57 cents. In Canada, women earned approximately 88 cents for every dollar earned by men in 2023. The gap was wider for Indigenous and racialized women particularly those in part-time or precarious employment.

Structural gaps add pressure. Only 24 percent of U.S. workers have access to paid parental leave. The average benefit lasts just 3.3 weeks and replaces only 31 percent of regular income. In contrast, Canada offers up to 50 weeks of paid leave at 55 to 75 percent of earnings through government programs. Yet even there, part-time and lower-income women often miss eligibility thresholds.

Financial knowledge gaps have measurable consequences. Research from the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center (GFLEC) shows that women consistently score lower than men on basic financial literacy tests, especially in areas like risk, inflation and debt. This gap in knowledge contributes to reduced retirement savings, greater reliance on debt and diminished financial resilience during caregiving years.

A 2022 TransUnion study found that women are more likely to use high-interest credit during income interruptions such as maternity leave or caregiving transitions. Without early education, many also miss opportunities to use lower-risk products like lines of credit, credit insurance or income protection tools. These financial blind spots extend beyond the household and impact long-term credit union performance through reduced engagement, increased delinquency and lower lifetime member value.

Programs like It’s a Money Thing offer accessible financial education for young adults that speaks directly to the real-life decisions and financial stressors they will face in early adulthood. The program covers topics such as credit scores, debt repayment, budgeting, predatory lending awareness and responsible financial behavior.

Delivered through videos, infographics, articles and presentations, it is designed to meet students where they are—whether in schools, community settings or online. Used by over 100 credit unions, it has been shown to strengthen early engagement and product adoption by helping young people make informed decisions before life-stage pressures arise.

Women are choosing when and how to start families. Some are delaying. Some are going it alone. Others are opting out. What they all need is clarity and preparation.

Financial literacy gives members the tools to approach these choices with confidence. And when women are confident about their finances, they’re in a better position to swipe right on motherhood on their own terms.

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Tim McAlpine

Hi, I’m the CEO of Currency Marketing. I am best known for developing the It's a Money Thing Financial Education Program that credit unions from around North America are using to connect with new young adult members. I am also a driving force behind CUES Emerge, an emerging leader program that combines online learning, peer collaboration and an exciting competition component.

https://currencymarketing.ca
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