April 2025

Aging Nation: The Alarming Shift in Japan’s Demographic Landscape

Japan faces a demographic shift, with a rapidly aging population and a 14-year trend of population decline. Japan’s total population stands at 123.8 million, a decrease of 550,000 from the previous year. Individuals aged 75 and over now constitute 16.8 percent of the population, while those under 15 years old make up only 11.2 percent. The population decline is contrasted by an increase in foreign residents for the third consecutive year. Migration provides a counterbalance to the declining...

US, Beyond the 401(k): 3 Strategies To Retire Comfortably and Still Leave Money Behind

For many Americans, having a plan to leave money for their loved ones is a priority. According to a recent Empower survey, 40% of Americans say that leaving an inheritance for their children is part of having a happy retirement. If this is one of your financial goals, you’ll likely need to look beyond your 401(k) to ensure you can save for your retirement and still have money left over. Here are three strategies you should consider to help you build a financial legacy. Diversify Your...

México. CNTE anuncia nuevas protestas, piden volver a sistema solidario de pensiones.

La Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (CNTE) anunció un paro nacional indefinido a partir del próximo 15 de mayo, acompañado de una marcha y un plantón permanente en el Zócalo capitalino. La organización magisterial exige la CNTE, así como una1 transformación estructural del sistema de pensiones y jubilación para los trabajadores del sector educativo. En conferencia de prensa, la secretaria general de la Sección 22 de Oaxaca, Yenni Aracely Pérez, dio lectura a un pronunciamiento derivado de la...

Jara abogará por el fin de las AFP en eventual gobierno: “Hasta a mí me costó convencerme” de que no se eliminaron en la reforma

La exministra y actual candidata reafirmó su compromiso con el fin de las administradoras de fondos, señalando que, si logra mayoría política, avanzará "sin ninguna duda" en su eliminación, indicando, además, que "existen otras alternativas". La candidata presidencial del Partido Comunista (PC), Jeannette Jara, se refirió a la discusión respecto a las pensiones, abogando por la idea de desaparecer las AFP y anunciando que, de tener el apoyo en su eventual gobierno, haría que terminaran “sin ninguna duda”. En entrevista con CNN Prime, la exministra...

Colombia. “La próxima reforma pensional provocará una falla de mercado”: Colfondos

Con $60 billones bajo administración, Colfondos es una de las entidades claves del sistema de pensiones y cesantías del país, y por estos días se prepara para asimilar los efectos de la reforma pensional, que entraría en vigor el primero de julio. Los recursos a cargo de esa entidad pertenecen a 1,6 millones de trabajadores afiliados. Además, contabiliza unos 40.000 pensionados, mientras que en la cuenta del fondo de pensiones voluntarios maneja $2 billones y $3 billones más de cesantías. ¿Qué...

UK households warned over HMRC tax change ‘which should be grabbing headlines’

Inheritance tax changes on pensions are what should be grabbing headlines, according to a pensions expert. Former Pensions Minister Steve Webb says the Labour Party government is set for a multi-billion pound windfall. Webb is a partner at pension consultants LCP, and was UK pensions minister from 2010 to 2015. He warned: "While the inheritance tax changes for farmers have grabbed most of the media attention, it is the IHT changes relating to pensions which will affect far more people and raise...

Nigeria’s pension fund seeks to diversify with focus on infrastructure

Nigeria's pension fund regulator wants to diversify investments with more focus on infrastructure and private equity, a spokesperson said on Friday — a move that could unlock a major new source of capital in Africa's most populous nation The voluntary and privately managed Retirement Savings Account held assets of 23.26-trillion naira (R275.13bn) as of February, with 60% of that invested in government debt and less than 10% in corporate securities. Diversification would allow the fund to seek out higher-yield investments, National...

Adding the impact investing dimension to Luxembourg’s sustainable finance

“We were set up with the mission of helping the financial sector transition towards sustainability,” says Nicoletta Centofanti, CEO of the Luxembourg Sustainable Finance Initiative (LSFI) who opens our conversation explaining the origins of the organisation, which with the support of its Impact Investing Advisory Board (IIAB), became a national partner of GSG Impact in December last year. “We are a centre of excellence and knowledge hub on sustainable finance and aim to unlock the sector’s potential, channel more capital...

Jamaica. Gov’t worker arrested for fraud after pension funds go missing

Detectives assigned to the Constabulary Financial Unit (CFU) of the Counter Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigations Branch (C-TOC) arrested an administrative assistant at a government establishment on Thursday, April 10, following an investigation into alleged fraudulent pension payments. The CFU team visited the establishment at about 10:00 am and apprehended a 49-year-old woman from a Garvey Meade address in St Catherine. The investigation revealed that between March 2017 and May 2018, another government body reportedly made seventeen (17) payments totalling just...

Zimbabwe. Short-term insurers target informal sector

The Insurance Council of Zimbabwe (ICZ), an association of short-term insurers, says the industry is exploring new business lines through inclusive insurance and targeting the informal sector. Motor and fire insurance continue to dominate short-term insurance industry revenue in both local currency and US dollar terms. According to the Insurance and Pensions Commission (Ipec) third-quarter 2024 report, direct short-term insurers reported consolidated insurance revenue amounting to ZiG 2,53 billion and US$153,97 million in terms of foreign currency business. During the reporting period,...