Gendered pathways to wealth? The self-assessed relevance of different accumulation channels among women and men across the wealth distribution

Wealth inequality results from stratified access to accumulation opportunities, relating to differences in income, financial behavior, and transfers. Yet, it remains unclear whether these wealth accumulation channels differ in their perceived relevance for women and men along the wealth distribution. A deeper understanding of such perceptions is crucial for explaining attitudes toward inequality, shaping policy legitimacy, and uncovering the narratives that sustain or challenge the economic status quo. Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP; waves 2017 and 2019), we compare the self-assessed relevance of eight different accumulation channels. Regression models (N=23,857) reveal that dependent employment is widely perceived as relevant for wealth accumulation across the wealth distribution, particularly for men. Individuals in higher wealth quartiles attribute a greater relevance to a broader range of accumulation channels. Women perceive marriage as more important for accumulating wealth, regardless of how wealthy they are. Women in the top wealth quartile perceive financial transfers as contributing more to their wealth than men do. These findings suggest that women ascribe a higher relevance to relational and dependent channels, while men emphasize the relevance of self-generated wealth. This reflects persistent gender-segregated economic structures that continue to reinforce the gender wealth gap.