October 2024

US. State treasurer elections to impact pension funds, auto IRA programs and ESG

Though most attention is on the presidential race this election season, several state treasurer races could determine the future of pension funds and other retirement programs for Americans all over the country. Many of those vying for the office of state treasurer are focused on improving their states’ pension funds, while other candidates hold conflicting views over state auto IRA programs — programs that create a retirement plan for those whose employers don’t offer one. In a handful of states,...

Pensions Minister set out Government’s objectives to boost UK investment and improve saver returns

In a keynote speech at a recent pensions conference, Emma Reynolds set out two key objectives: to improve the level of pension fund investment in the UK economy and to improve savers’ returns. Notable points in the speech to the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association’s annual conference included: Building on the Mansion House Compact and confirming an interim report on the first phase of the government’s Pensions Review would be published before Christmas, with a final report next year. Commenting...

South Korea: Pension subscribers allowed to change pension fund managers starting today

Financial institutions in South Korea, including insurance companies, have been busy with plans to attract customers who wish to switch the companies managing their pension accounts. Starting today (31 October), pension subscribers are allowed to shift their accounts to other financial companies without having to terminate the pension plans with the pension fund manager they wished to move from. According to the Financial Supervisory Service, as of 30 September 2024, total pension funds amounted to KRW400.79tn ($290bn). Of this total, insurance companies accounted for KRW93.27tn...

Would a ‘lost decade’ derail your retirement plans? Not necessarily.

'If you feel like you're behind if you don't get 12%-plus returns every year, then maybe you need to re-evaluate your plan' If the U.S. stock market drifted into a "lost decade" in which returns stagnated in comparison with the stellar run of recent years, would retirees and those nearing retirement be doomed? The market has been very kind to workers' 401(k) plans in recent years. This year, the S&P 500 SPX is poised to post returns of more than 20%,...

México. Faltan “reglas específicas” para que las Afores puedan invertir en pymes: Amafore

A pesar de que ya se introdujo la definición de emisoras simplificadas en el régimen de inversión de las Afores, aún faltan las “reglas específicas” para que las administradoras de fondos para el retiro (Afores) puedan invertir los ahorros de los trabajadores en acciones o deuda de pequeñas y medianas empresas (pymes), dijo el presidente de la Asociación Mexicana de Afores, Guillermo Zamarripa. El viernes, la Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público publicó en el Diario Oficial de la Federación...

FIAP: El rechazo a la reforma de pensiones en Uruguay “da cuenta de la importancia del pilar de ahorro en los sistemas”

Los uruguayos rechazaron este domingo la reforma de pensiones que fue incluída en el proceso electoral en el que también se decidiría al próximo presidente del país. El polémico plebiscito, que había sido considerado incluso más importante que la elección del jefe de Estado, había sido impulsado por el Plenario Intersindical de Trabajadores- Convencional Nacional de Trabajadores (PIT-CNT), un movimiento sindical que proponía fijar la edad de retiro en 60 años, la equiparación entre jubilación mínima y el salario mínimo, y la eliminación de...

El Salvador. Senadores avanzaron en los proyectos de Ética Pública y pensiones especiales

Este martes se llevó adelante una reunión conjunta de las comisiones de Legislación General y de Asuntos Constitucionales y Acuerdos, cuyo tema central fue el proyecto de ley sobre Transparencia y Ética Pública. También los integrantes de la comisión de Legislación General avanzaron en el estudio del proyecto sobre pensiones especiales o graciables otorgadas por la Provincia. Participaron el presidente de la Comisión de Legislación General, el senador Jaime Benedetti (Gualeguaychú – Juntos por Entre Ríos) junto a miembros de ambas comisiones: Nancy Miranda...

The U.K.’s fertility rate is at its lowest level in 90 years, far below the ‘replacement rate.’

A brewing demographic crisis in the U.K. might add another layer of complication to the country’s ebbing productivity rates, which the Labour government hopes it can tackle. Parts of the U.K. are seeing their lowest birth rates in about 90 years, or since World War II. With a productivity crisis looming large, a stubbornly low number of births could mean more problems for the U.K. than just an aging population. England and Wales are seeing fertility rates plummet to 1.44 children...

Striking Boeing workers may have leverage, says pension expert Teresa Ghilarducci

Machinist workers striking against Boeing Co., Chicago, may have the leverage to potentially set a precedent in their demands for the company to restore its defined benefit plan, says Teresa Ghilarducci. Ghilarducci, professor of economics at The New School for Social Research and the director of the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis and The New School's Retirement Equity Lab, is a longtime advocate for retirement security. She said that companies like Boeing, where reliability and consistency are essential in high-stakes...

8.1 Million Ghanaian workers not covered by pension scheme – Prof. Abdallah Mashud

The Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Retirement Research (ACRR), Professor Abdallah Mashud, has disclosed that as of last year, 2023, approximately 8.1 million Ghanaian workers were not covered by any form of pension scheme. Speaking on Joy News’ AM Show on Tuesday, October 28, 2024, with Benjamin Akakpo, the renowned social security expert described the situation as problematic. He was discussing the 2024 pension manifesto of the two major political parties: the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party...