Homeownership Aging 2: Who is More Trustworthy, Spouse or Owner? Female Taxpayers Increase by 950,000 in 10 Years

Over the last decade, Taiwan has seen a notable increase in female property taxpayers, with approximately 950,000 more women registered than in the previous period. This surge has narrowed the gender gap in taxpayer numbers from 12% to 9.6% over ten years, indicating a significant shift in property ownership dynamics.

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The rise of female property owners is driven by three reasons: the growing awareness among women of buying property for self-residence or investment, especially those who are single or marry late; tax and inheritance planning, where spousal gifts can avoid gift tax, or early succession planning makes spouses or female heirs the best nodes for asset retention; and listed company bosses or high-net-worth founders, who face higher business and liability risks, transfer anti-depreciation, value-preserving properties to their spouses as the last line of defense for family security, effectively establishing a financial firewall.

Real estate professionals observe that high-profile luxury property transactions increasingly involve female owners. Notable examples include two units in the "Tao Zhu Yin Yuan" skyscraper registered under female owners, and two units in the "Xinyi Chief Mansion" purchased by the family of Foxconn founder Terry Gou, registered under his wife, Tseng Hsin-ying.

Industry experts point to several key reasons for this "empowerment of female property owners." These include a growing trend of women choosing to buy homes for themselves, either for self-residence or investment, particularly among those who are single or marry later in life. Additionally, tax and inheritance planning play a crucial role, with spousal gifts exempt from gift tax and strategic asset transfers to female heirs facilitating wealth concentration.

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From the perspective of gender demographics, not only has the female population in our country surpassed the male population, but the lead is widening year by year, especially in the six major cities where the female population significantly exceeds the male population. Additionally, it is becoming increasingly common for husbands to register properties under their wives' names.

Furthermore, prominent business leaders and founders facing significant operational and personal liability risks are increasingly registering stable, value-retaining properties under their spouses' names. This strategy acts as a financial firewall, safeguarding family assets. The overall demographic trend in Taiwan, with women outnumbering men and this gap widening, also contributes to the increasing prevalence of properties being registered under wives' names.

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The increase in female homeowners mainly includes single women purchasing homes for personal use. Additionally, when a family already owns a self-occupied home and purchases a second property, loan-to-value ratios may be restricted, leading to the second property being registered under the spouse's name. Therefore, we observe a slow but steady increase in the proportion of female ownership.