A checking account is not just for receiving your salary and paying bills. It can be a tool for economic autonomy.
It is one of the themes that emerged in the hearing of Magda Bianco of the Bank of Italy in the Senate last year 21 July also dedicated to proposals on crediting the salary to an account in the name of the worker.
The topic is particularly important for women.
Among the workers, the 94% has a current account. However, the percentage drops below the 73% among women who do not work.
The data makes it clear that the problem is not just having an account, but have real economic autonomy.
And here other numbers come into play. In the first quarter 2026 the female employment rate in Italy was 54,1%, against 66,5% than the EU average. In addition, in 2022, the average income of female heads of household was more than 50% lower 30% compared to that of men, while the median net wealth was lower by more than 20%.
A personal account can therefore be useful, especially when it allows you to directly dispose of your income. But it's not enough.
Financial independence also requires work, income, ability to save and knowledge to consciously manage money.
For a family this doesn't necessarily mean separating finances: you can have a joint account for family expenses and a personal account for each of you.
The important thing is that every adult member of the family knows how much they earn, how much he spends and what resources he has available.
For this reason the topic raised by Banca d'Italia it goes beyond the current account: concerns the concrete possibility of building autonomy, awareness and economic security.
Alex Gaetani
Main: the official hearing of the Bank of Italy of 21 July 2026, available on the Bank of Italy website.
600 articles, from 2010
This article has a special meaning for me: and the 600° article published in Family Economics, a journey that began in 2010. In recent years I have tried to talk about the economy starting from concrete things: the family budget, savings, the work, financial choices and everything that can contribute to greater awareness in managing money.
And perhaps it is no coincidence that the 600th article talks about economic autonomy of women.
Why know, understanding and managing one's resources is still one of the most important tools for facing the future with greater awareness. 600 articles later, the journey continues!