90% of all women become totally responsible for their own financial welfare at some point in their lives, yet women have lagged far behind men when it comes to 1_______ planning and investing. Women who do invest tend to be more 2_______ than men. A "Financial Gender Gap" study conducted by Prudential Securities 3_______ significant differences in how men and women invest. The study places investors in one of the following three zones: Action: Active and accomplished investors. Comfort: Complacent individuals who realize the importance of taking 4_______ for their financial futures, but do not change their strategies as life situations change. Caution: Those too 5_______ with the ups and downs of everyday life to develop financial plans. More men than women were in the Action zone, while more women were in the Comfort and Caution zones, indicating 6_______ differences in risk tolerance, perspective on change and on the future, control issues, attitudes about money, and 7_______ knowledge. The “Investor Zone Update” study, and studies conducted by other organizations, have found that in recent years women have become more inclined to take risk and are 8_______ likely to let lack of investing knowledge keep them from investing. While these studies indicate that women are becoming more empowered financially , there are still fewer women than men in the Action zone, and women are still 9_______ less likely than men to 10_______ investment risks. It is important for women to educate themselves about investing and to become more risk tolerant in order to adequately secure their financial futures.