Here's a financial puzzle: most women think they're pretty good with money, but they're also feeling way more stressed about it than men. According to a recent global survey from the financial wellbeing platform Nudge Global, 69% of women rate their financial literacy as 'good.' That's the confident part. The stressful part? They were more likely than men to report poorer overall financial health. Nearly twice as many women as men feel ashamed of their finances. And when asked to assess their financial health, a quarter of women rated it as poor or very poor, compared to just 18% of men.

This isn't just a feeling; it's showing up physically. The study of more than 11,500 employees across 17 countries found that 31% of women have sleep disruptions, 24% struggle with fatigue, and 21% experience migraines due to their money issues. Men report these symptoms at lower rates.

What Is Causing This Gap?

So, if women feel literate, why are they so stressed? The survey points to a few key reasons. First, there's a confidence gap in navigating change. Women consistently report lower confidence than men when it comes to adapting to financial shocks or shifts. In the U.S., 25% of women say they don't feel confident managing potential shifts in the cost of food, healthcare, housing affordability and social security, compared to 15% of men.

Another piece of the puzzle is how women engage with financial education and resources. While women and men use social media equally to learn about money, men are more likely to use books, online courses and periodicals about finance. Women and men use podcasts and employer-provided education at similar rates, but a concerning 13% of women report having no sources of financial education at all, compared to just 8% of men. In other words, women are still slightly less likely to tap the full range of educational materials available.

The takeaway is that feeling financially literate doesn't automatically shield you from money stress. Financial education, the survey suggests, must do more than teach basics. It should also help build confidence in navigating change and address the unique stressors women face. That could mean creating financial programs that go beyond theory and actually equip women to negotiate salaries, invest confidently and plan for long-term security even through life's transitions.