Ten years ago, Karla Ehlinger knew very little about the stock market or investments.

Now, the 41 year-old Kimball stay-at-home mom is part owner of 19 stocks and is the president of an all-women investment club called InvestMINT-unBEAR-aBULLS.

More women are breaking perceived gender barriers and learning to take the lead on investing their money, experts say.

Women traditionally have taken a back seat in these financial matters, but their knowledge of investments is becoming more important, if not necessary, as more women receive college degrees and accept high-powered positions.

Women now hold 46 percent of management and professional jobs, and they have more money to invest, according to Brad Wheelock, managing director at RBC Dain Rauscher in St. Cloud.

"The proportion of women who were interested and had gained knowledge (about investments) has certainly grown dramatically over the last 10 to 15 years," said Kent Benson, risk manager at Plaza Park Bank in Waite Park. Benson is also a certified financial planner.

Female investment clubs such as InvestMINT-unBEAR-aBULLS have been sprouting up nationwide in recent years to take the fear out of investing.

Some groups meet locally, but a growing number are online.

InvestMINT-unBEAR-aBULLS, made up mostly of married women, meets once a month in Annandale.

Each member brings $25 to the meeting and, based on research done by members, the club buys or sells stocks as a group.

Requiring action

Local experts identified two factors contributing to the rise in women investing: mortality and divorce rates.

Wheelock said 85 percent of women nationwide end up managing their own finances at some point because of longer life expectancy and high divorce rates.

Women live six years longer than men on average — and the national divorce rate is 3.6 per 1,000 population, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

"The biggest challenge that many women face is they are forced to learn very quickly," Wheelock said.

Building knowledge

Cindy Stelten, 53, of Kimball joined the local women's club because she thought she didn't know enough about the process.

The married mother of five thought she wasn't good at math when she was growing up, and she wanted to learn.

"That whole world was always kind of intriguing to me," she said.

More opportunities online and through workshops or clubs have encouraged women to learn and follow through on investments, Benson said.

Stelten has taken what she has learned at the local club and transferred it to her home finances.

"I think I've made some decisions that have been good decisions in our life," she said.