May 2024
06May

China. 1.07 billion people in basic pension scheme

China has been improving its social insurance system to better support development, with the number of participants in the basic pension reaching 1.07 billion by the end of March, a year-on-year increase of 14 million, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security said. There were 240 million participants in the unemployment insurance scheme, up 4.49 million, and 290 million participants in the employment injury insurance scheme, up 5.58 million. From January to March, the total income of the basic pension,...

May 6, 2024
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03May

UK. Average overall pension transfer times fall by 12.2%

The average time taken for a pension transfer to be completed reduced by 12.2% over the last 15 months, research from Origo has shown. The latest data from the fintech's Transfer Index showed from January 2023 to the end of March this year, the average time for the completion of a transfer fell from 14 to 12.3 calendar days. In addition, the time taken for simple transfers, where the provider has full control over the process, also improved by 16.7%...

May 3, 2024
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03May

Venezuelan National Assembly Approves Pension Protection Bill

The National Assembly of Venezuela approved on Thursday in the first discussion, the Social Security Pension Protection Bill, after it was presented to that body by the executive vice president of the South American country, Delcy Rodriguez. "We wanted to bring this bill that has 13 articles that seek special protection, through contributions and contributions of private business for the protection of pensions against criminal blockade"said Rodríguez and also recalled that the country’s income from the blockade was impacted by...

May 3, 2024
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03May

The ‘father of the 401(k)’ talks about the death of pensions, the future of retirement, and what disturbs him about his own creation

Americans have a lot of anxiety around retirement. Many people are dipping into their nest eggs to make ends meet amid soaring inflation, some boomers aren’t prepared to leave the workforce as they enter their golden years, and people are increasingly working past the typical retirement age. The most popular method for workers to save for retirement is the 401(k), which allows employees without employer-backed pensions to independently contribute to their own retirement savings, often with employer matching. But it’s not right for everyone, and the man who...

May 3, 2024
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03May

Canadian Pensions Returned 2.5% in the First Quarter

Canadian institutional defined benefit plans returned 2.5% in Q1 2024, according to the Northern Trust Canada Universe, a tracker which measures the performance of Canadian DB plans that are subscribed to Northern Trust’s performance measurement services.  Inflation and monetary policy were front and center during the first quarter. “The transition through interest rate cycles within the economic ecosystem quite often can be a challenging path,” said Katie Pries, president and CEO of Northern Trust Canada, in the firm’s news release. The biggest driver of Canadian...

May 3, 2024
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02May

US. The Longevity Question

In his annual letter, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink stressed the need to find solutions to the concerns Americans face when they plan for retirement. “We focus a tremendous amount of energy on helping people live longer lives. But not even a fraction of that effort is spent helping people afford those extra years,” Fink wrote. Most public pension funds in the U.S. are underfunded, according to research from the Equable Institute, which released a  State of Pensions 2023 report that...

May 2, 2024
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02May

UK. Seeing the wood for the trees: reinjecting meaning into sustainability reporting

IGG’s Tegs Harding takes a holistic view of sustainability reporting, incorporating nature-based and social factors as well as established climate issues. Step by step, we are seeing more people realise the power pensions have to play an integral role in securing a more sustainable future. Trustees are central to this by meeting their fiduciary duties towards members, including reporting and administrative requirements. Trustees of defined contribution (DC) schemes are responsible for ensuring their members get the best retirement outcome they can, which...

May 2, 2024
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02May

Developing Asia and the Pacific Unprepared for Challenges of Aging Population

Developing Asia and the Pacific is unprepared to secure the well-being of its rapidly aging population as the growing share of older people in the region face challenges from low pension coverage to health problems, social isolation, and limited access to essential services. While longer lifespans reflect the region’s development success, comprehensive policy reforms are urgently needed to support the welfare of older people, according to Aging Well in Asia: Asian Development Policy Report, released today by the Asian Development Bank...

May 2, 2024
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02May

The Retirement Labyrinth: Navigating Challenges for Gen X and Y

For many, the road to retirement is paved with uncertainties. This is particularly true for Generations X and Y. Caught between the Boomer behemoth and the enigmatic Zoomers — these generations face unique challenges. In contrast to their predecessors who rode the wave of economic prosperity, Gen X and Y encounter choppy waters: stagnant wages, rising healthcare costs, and unstable job markets. This blog post, however, delves into the specific challenges these generations face and offers practical strategies for navigating toward financial security. The Generation X...

May 2, 2024
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April 2024
30Apr

UK. People’s Pension ramps up ESG expectations of asset managers

The People's Pension, Crawley, England, is expecting more from its asset managers when it comes to responsible investment. The £26 billion ($32 billion) multiemployer defined contribution plan said in an April 29 statement on its new responsible investment policy that at a minimum, fund managers are expected to have a commitment to net zero and adequate resources committed to stewardship. Failing to do so could trigger a review and possible transfer of assets to other managers, the U.K. master trust...

April 30, 2024
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