New Delhi, March 6 (IANS) Women from rural regions in India are more confident in managing finances compared with high-net-worth (HNW) women, according to a report released on Friday.

The report by DBS Bank found that financial decision-making among women in India is increasing, particularly among female entrepreneurs.

According to the report, 76 per cent of rural women earners feel confident managing finances, compared with 67 per cent of HNW women and 58 per cent of female entrepreneurs.

However, the report noted that women who do not make financial decisions independently often rely on spouses or partners for financial advice.

Among female entrepreneurs, 69 per cent act as primary financial decision-makers, compared with 60 per cent of rural women earners and 58 per cent of HNW women.

“Confidence in managing finances also tends to increase with age, particularly among entrepreneurs and HNW women,” it said.

Beyond access to capital, female entrepreneurs value peer advisory (44 per cent), sector-specific mentorship (40 per cent), investor connections (33 per cent), and guidance on government schemes (22 per cent).

Divyesh Dalal, Managing Director and Country Head, Global Transaction Services, DBS Bank India, said, “While access to credit remains important, entrepreneurs increasingly seek holistic support, mentors, networks and investor linkages, to scale their businesses.”

In terms of life goals, HNW women (64 per cent) and entrepreneurs (73 per cent) prioritise property ownership, while 73 per cent of rural women focus on children’s education, the DBS Bank report said.

On bank engagement and digital adoption, entrepreneurs prefer digital channels (44 per cent) and UPI (84 per cent), while rural women favour in-person banking (47 per cent) and face barriers such as unfamiliarity with apps (44 per cent) and connectivity issues (31 per cent).

Regarding career breaks and retirement, 46 per cent of women entrepreneurs take career breaks for family or personal reasons. About 39 per cent plan to retire after the age of 50, while 20 per cent expect to never fully retire.

While HNW women and rural women show similar trends in retirement expectations, the report added.

–IANS

ag/na