Women control more than half of all private wealth in the U .S. and in 2009 held the majority of jobs in the workforce. As women’s earnings, freedom and influence increase, the old sequential patterns of education, marriage, motherhood, and retirement no longer apply.

For more pearls of wisdom, check out Invest Like a Billionaire, Women Rule, Your Perfect Financial Match and the full print edition of The Seven Pearls of Financial Wisdom for guidance on wealth building, romance and marriage, motherhood, power, crisis and loss, retirement and legacy building.

About the Authors: Camilla Webster is a Forbes contributor and top international journalist who covers Wall Street, the global economy, technology, billionaires and women’s wealth. As a producer for Fox News, CBS News and a broadcast news editor for The Wall Street Journal she has covered business and world affairs from Baghdad to Washington DC. Camilla is also the co-founder of the popular website nynatives.com. Carol Pepper has worked as a top adviser to ultra-wealthy families for more than twenty-five years. She is the Founder and CEO of Pepper International, an award winning family office in New York City, which celebrated its ten year anniversary in 2011. Carol advises global families who have over $100 million on all aspects of wealth management and how to transfer their fortune successfully to the next generation.