It’s a very real concern that really comes to a peak when you get older. My mom, as well as my wife’s mom and step mom really felt the pressure of being financially dependent on their husband once they got to their 50s and 60s. It’s not only the lost earning power—even social security forces you into dependency, since your benefits are keyed to what you earned while working. The one with the most peace of mind now seems to be my wife’s ex step mom, who never had her own kids and maintained her career the whole time.