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According to Prudential Financial ’s latest biennial study of women and money released this month, 53% of women are now financial breadwinners due to out-of-work partners, divorce and later marriages. However, women reported being more concerned than men about household expenses, debt and their ability to save for retirement. They were also found to be more risk-averse and afraid of becoming burdens to their families.

“It’s increasingly important for women to be responsible for their own long-term financial health,” says Michelle Matson, author of Rich Chick and vice president of Matson Money, a Cincinnati -based investment advisory firm managing over $3.1 billion. Women’s median income has grown 63% in the last three decades, and they are expected to control $22 trillion in wealth by 2020. Furthermore, Matson says the average age of widowhood is 56, while women’s average life expectancy is 80.8 years. “We need to be able to handle this without deferring to a spouse.”

Matson says women’s biggest fear is that they don’t know enough and will fail. “There’s so much information it can be overwhelming,” she says. With the rapid-fire pace of news and many conflicting messages, she says women often become intimidated and feel they have to be smarter than everyone else to succeed. While men may be motivated by the thrill and challenge of investing, Matson says women are more concerned with the long-term results.

To overcome their fears, Matson says women should take one baby step at a time and bolster their confidence through understanding and ongoing reinforcement. Here are seven small changes that make a big impact.

Matson says women often suffer from the “bag lady syndrome,” the fear of being penniless, homeless and alone. They may escalate small money concerns into visions of total destitution. “It can paralyze you,” she says. “You don’t know what to do, so you don’t do anything.” However, the easiest way to overcome a fear is to face it. She advises women to stop procrastinating, and start focusing on their financial health today. It could be as simple as expressing to your partner that you’d like to learn more about your finances, or scheduling time on your calendar to review where you currently stand.

Wade In Slowly

“Dipping your toe in will give you more confidence,” says Matson. Instead of trying to get up to speed in a week, she suggests moving slowly to learn and really understand your financial plan. For those who need to get familiar with the basics, an easy-to-read financial book is a good starting point. Some, like Matson’s Rich Chick. Women & Money by Suze Orman and Does This Make My Assets Look Fat? by Susan Hirshman, are written specifically for women and may be more digestible. Another easy entry point is locating and reading all of your financial statements to get a snapshot of your current accounts.

Identify Goals

“You need to dig deep enough to know where you’re going and why,” Matson advises. Money is a tool, and long-term financial planning is a means to an end. Establishing a vision of the future helps to set realistic goals to achieve it. Perhaps your goal is to buy a home or own your home outright. Maybe you want to retire early or retire with enough set aside to continue your current standard of living. Once you understand where you are and identify where you want to be, you can create a plan for getting there.