August 2026
28Aug

UK. Income tax blow for retirees who delayed state pension

People putting off their state pension to earn a little extra are likely to see it taxed under new rules, according to analysis. The state pension is set to grow larger than your personal allowance from next year, meaning some of it will be subject to income tax. The government has promised an exemption for people who rely on the state pension as their source of income, but it appears this will not include those who delayed taking it in order...

August 28, 2026
News,
Read more...
28Aug

Hong Kong expands AI sandbox with projects that include banks, securities and insurance

Hong Kong’s financial regulators have selected the first batch of projects for an expanded generative artificial-intelligence (GenAI) testing programme spanning banking, securities, insurance and pensions, as the city explores the use of more autonomous AI agents in financial services. A total of 36 use cases were selected for the first cohort of the expanded GenAI Sandbox++ programme, according to a joint statement on Thursday by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), Insurance Authority and Mandatory...

August 28, 2026
News, ,
Read more...
28Aug

African Pension Funds shift more capital into private equity

Ghana is increasingly being recognised as one of Africa’s most credible examples of how domestic pension savings can be invested in more diverse alternatives and channelled into assets such as private equity, venture capital and SME growth financing. Ghana has spearheaded notable pension industry initiatives focused on shifting domestic capital pools towards the real economy, including GVCA’s 5% Pension and Insurance Industry Compact, launched in April 2025, Impact Investing Ghana’s Pension Industry Collaborative, and the $70m SME Fund of Funds...

August 28, 2026
News,
Read more...
27Aug

80% of Americans Say U.S. Faces Retirement Crisis Amid Affordability Pressures and Debt; Americans Wary of AI Financial Advice and Crypto in Retirement Plans

As affordability pressures squeeze household budgets, Americans increasingly fear they will not be financially secure in retirement, while also expressing caution about artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency in retirement planning, according to new research from the National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS). The new report, Retirement Insecurity 2026: Americans' Views of Retirement, finds that 80 percent of Americans say the nation faces a retirement crisis, up sharply from 67 percent in 2020. Additionally, more than six in ten Americans (61 percent)...

August 27, 2026
News, , ,
Read more...
27Aug

France. Pensions: François Hollande proposes a 63-year age, partial de-indexing, and a degree of capitalization

François Hollande unveils several measures to fundamentally reform the French pension system. The former president proposes a legal retirement age of 63 in 2028, a gradual increase in the contribution period, and a five-year cap on pension increases. In his manifesto , *Uniting: A New World, A New Left *, to be published on September 3, François Hollande argues that the pension reform issue will inevitably resurface after the 2027 presidential election. His first proposal is to set the legal...

August 27, 2026
News, ,
Read more...
27Aug

South Africa’s R2.7 trillion GEPF faces growing ESG data and governance test as pension capital comes under scrutiny

South Africa’s Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF), the country’s largest public-sector pension fund and one of the continent’s biggest pools of institutional capital, is facing a broader governance challenge over how environmental, social and governance (ESG) information is assessed, verified and incorporated into investment decisions. With the fund holding more than R2.69 trillion in assets and more than 1.2 million active members, the quality of ESG analysis applied across its investment portfolio has implications well beyond the retirement savings...

August 27, 2026
News, ,
Read more...
27Aug

German workers oppose linking retirement age to life expectancy

More than eight in 10 (83 per cent) German workers oppose the proposal to link the statutory retirement age to life expectancy, according to research from Ver.di. The proposal would see the German retirement age increasing gradually, with 11 per cent of workers in favour of the plans. The trade union surveyed its membership and found that 56 per cent doubted they would be able to continue working at their current level of health until retirement. It also identified concerns about financial...

August 27, 2026
News,
Read more...
26Aug

US. Retirement Plans Could Be Sharing Your Personal Data. Are You at Risk?

If you’re one of the millions of Americans saving for retirement with a 401(k) or similar account, you assume (and hope) your financial and personal information are safe. But did you know that retirement plan service providers may share or sell your personal information or use it to market other financial products and services? Today’s WatchBlog post looks at our new report on why retirement plans share data and what’s being done to protect your personal information. When and why do retirement...

August 26, 2026
News, ,
Read more...
26Aug

BlackRock overhauls $1bn high-yield ETF duo for Nordic pension fund

BlackRock has switched the indices of euro and US dollar high yield corporate bond ETFs in favour of softer ESG credentials to suit the updated sustainability targets of a Nordic pension fund. The $582m iShares € High Yield Corp Bond ESG Paris-Aligned Climate UCITS ETF (HYPE) and the $423m iShares $ High Yield Corp Bond ESG Paris-Aligned Climate UCITS ETF (HYDP) will switch from tracking their respective versions of the Bloomberg MSCI Corporate High Yield Climate Paris-Aligned ESG Select index...

August 26, 2026
News,
Read more...
26Aug

Disney Offers Executives Voluntary Early Retirement Packages Amid Overall Cost-Cutting Plans

Disney is offering longtime executives early retirement packages amid larger cost-cutting efforts and ongoing layoffs. The offer, announced in a memo to staff sent by Senior EVP and Chief People Officer Sonia Coleman on Monday, the time-limited, company-sponsored Voluntary Early Retirement Offer (VERO) program is set to give eligible executives the opportunity to retire now with an enhanced retirement package that "recognizes their service and contributions." The offer will include separation pay, continued vesting of existing equity awards, healthcare support at...

August 26, 2026
News
Read more...