My Mom Remembers When Women Couldn’t Get Credit on Their Own — And My Daughter Never Will

One of the things that gives me the most perspective in my work is seeing three generations of women side by side.

My mom remembers when women couldn’t get credit without their husband.

And now, my daughter Jenna has just graduated college, is starting her career, moving to a new state, getting her own apartment, and building a life independently — without ever questioning whether she’s allowed to do those things financially.

That contrast is incredible when you really stop and think about it.

My mom grew up in a time when women could be denied credit simply because they were women. Before the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974, many women needed a husband or male co-signer to open a credit card or establish credit in their own name.

She remembers that reality firsthand.

Now fast forward one generation, and I’ve built a career helping women become educated, confident, and proactive about their financial futures.

And today, I watch my daughter step into adulthood with opportunities women before her simply didn’t have.

Jenna can move across state lines, sign a lease, build credit, open accounts, invest, and create financial independence completely on her own. To her generation, that feels normal.

But it wasn’t always normal.

And honestly, I think it’s important we talk about that more.

Because while women have made incredible progress financially, many still carry the mindset passed down from generations who weren’t fully included in financial conversations. Women still face unique pressures:

• Career interruptions from caregiving

• Wage gaps

• Longer life expectancies

• Balancing family responsibilities while planning for their own future

I see so many women spend their lives taking care of everyone else first.

That’s why I’m passionate about financial education for women specifically.

Not because women aren’t capable with money — they absolutely are.
But because historically, women were often excluded from these conversations altogether.

When I look at my mom and my daughter, I see how much has changed in just a few decades.

One generation needed permission.
The next generation is building independence from day one.

That’s progress worth celebrating.

And it reminds me why these conversations matter so much. Financial confidence doesn’t just impact one woman — it changes what’s possible for the generations that follow her.