Affluent Women Say Rich Don’t Pay 'Fair Share'
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Surveys of the wealthy usually study them as a single group. But wealthy women and wealthy men sometimes have very different perspectives – especially when it comes to the social impacts of wealth.
A new survey from Spectrem Group finds that 40 percent of affluent women surveyed (those with investible assets of more than $100,000) agreed with the statement that “inequality is a problem and that the wealthy don’t pay their fair share.”
Only 29 percent of men agreed with the same statement.
The issue generated more predictable responses when viewed by wealth level. A quarter of people with investible assets of $1 million or more thought the wealthy don’t pay their fair share. That compares with 37 percent for people with investible assets of between $100,000 and $500,000.
Nearly a third of the millionaires agreed with the statement that inequality is not a problem and that “wealthy Americans pay taxes, provide jobs and invest in the U.S. and give to charities.”
George Walper of Spectrem Group said the divide between wealthy men and women on the subject of inequality highlights a deeper difference between men and women when it comes to wealth.
“I think, generally, you could say that women may be more sympathetic to some of the social issues around wealth compared to men,” he said.
Whatever the reason, the gender divide over wealth and inequality may be one reason why Obama still leads among women voters.
Why do think women may be more likely to say the wealthy don’t pay their fair share?
-By CNBC's Robert Frank
Follow Robert Frank on Twitter: @robtfrank
