News Archives - Page 252 of 953 - Pension Policy International

21DecDecember 21, 2023

UK. 2023’s pension proposals need political consensus

At a technical level, not an awful lot changed in the world of pensions in 2023, but a huge number of changes have been proposed – and some of those are seismic. Perhaps the most significant of those in the first half of the year was the announcement by chancellor Jeremy Hunt that the lifetime allowance would be scrapped, followed within minutes by the pledge from the opposition that it would be reinstated should they gain power. As it was, the charge was...

December 21, 2023

News2023, Pension Reform, Regulation, UK

20DecDecember 20, 2023

U.S. pension risk transfer sales dip in Q3 year over year, LIMRA survey shows

U.S. pension risk transfer sales totaled $10.4 billion in the third quarter, down for the year-over-year period, although there were a record number of contracts executed, a LIMRA survey found. The total volume in the third quarter fell below the record-setting third quarter of 2022, which saw a total of $26.1 billion in volume, according to the survey. However, the third quarter of 2022 experienced the record volume due to a single transaction. International Business Machines, Armonk, N.Y., purchased group annuity contracts...

December 20, 2023

NewsPension Management, Risk, US

20DecDecember 20, 2023

UK. DWP urges people buying State Pension top-ups to check uplift will be applied to payments first

New figures published by the UK Government show that at the end of March 2023, the number of people making voluntary National Insurance (NI) contributions to top-up their State Pension has surged by 85 per cent over the last year. The National Insurance Fund Accounts indicate that £391,973,000 worth of Class 3 NI contributions were made for the year ending March 31, compared to £212,311,000 paid in the previous year. However, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is urging people thinking...

December 20, 2023

NewsIncome, State Pensions, UK

20DecDecember 20, 2023

Mexico. Informal Economy Hits Record High, Signaling Economic Resilience Amid Challenges

In a significant economic revelation for 2022, a country’s informal economy soared to 24.4% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in current values. This figure denotes an uptick of 0.4 percentage points, marking the highest since records began in 2003. The informal sector, chiefly composed of microbusinesses without basic legal registries, contributed 13.3% to the GDP, while other forms of informality added another 11.1%. The Implications of an Informal Economy Informal labour is defined by the lack of an official work...

December 20, 2023

NewsInformal Sector, Labor, Mexico

19DecDecember 19, 2023

Private credit attracts billions from U.S. pension funds

U.S. state and local retirement funds are pumping billions into private credit, joining the stampede into a booming sector of finance in the pursuit of higher returns. These systems are collectively allocating at least $100 billion of their roughly $5 trillion in assets into private debt, according to Equable, a bipartisan pension researcher founded by public finance leaders. While that's only a sliver of their holdings at present, funds' private credit positions have been steadily growing and are poised to...

December 19, 2023

NewsInvestment, Pension Management, US

19DecDecember 19, 2023

UK. Pensions are far from broken but could still use a fix

There aren’t too many areas of public policy where we in the UK can feel we have done a better job than in comparable countries. Our state pension system is, arguably, one of them. What we have is vaguely coherent and more affordable than most. It forms part of a system which, alongside widespread private provision and additional means-tested support for the poorest, results in many enjoying a relatively comfortable old age, and far fewer than in the past...

December 19, 2023

NewsAdequacy, Retirement Age, Social Security, State Pensions, UK

19DecDecember 19, 2023

Nigeria. PenCom asks employees of defunct organizations to reclaim their unpaid pension contributions

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has called on former employees of defunct banks and other organizations in the country to approach their Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) to reclaim the N12 billion in the Transition Contribution Funds (TCF) in their custody. According to the commission, the defunct organisations include Diamond, Intercontinental, Citizen, Mainstream and Oceanic Banks whose workers have yet to claim their funds. Speaking at a media parley organised by the Pension Fund Operators (PenOp), PenCom’s Director-General, Aisha Daniel-Umar, said that...

December 19, 2023

NewsNigeria, Occupational Pensions, savings

18DecDecember 18, 2023

UK. Voluntary NI contributions surge 85% as people boost state pension

Voluntary contributions, also known as class 3 national insurance contributions, stood at £391.9mn for the year ending March 31, 2023. According to Hargreaves Lansdown, this is an 85 per cent surge on the £212.3mn paid the previous year. Class 3 contributions are voluntary contributions that can be used to fill gaps in national insurance records to boost state pension entitlement. Individuals can fill gaps going back six tax years though there is an opportunity for some people to fill gaps going back...

December 18, 2023

NewsUK, Voluntary Savings

18DecDecember 18, 2023

AI poses risks to U.S. economy, Financial Stability Oversight Council says

For the first time, the Financial Stability Oversight Council in its annual report identified artificial intelligence as a vulnerability in the U.S. financial system. The council said financial institutions, market participants and regulatory authorities should further build expertise and capacity to monitor AI innovation and usage, and identify emerging risks. "AI has the potential to increase efficiency and innovation, but it also introduces certain risks," the council said in its report released Dec. 14. "Monitoring these rapidly emerging technologies will continue to be...

December 18, 2023

NewsRisk, Technology, US

18DecDecember 18, 2023

Retirement Savings: 10 Biggest Financial Shocks For Retirees

Retirement can bring a sense of freedom and relaxation, but it can also come with unexpected financial shocks. Denial is a bad pill to take when retiring, and it’s important to be prepared so you can have your savings ready when these problems arise. Here are the top ten financial surprises that often catch retirees off guard: 1. Higher Healthcare Costs Than Anticipated Many retirees underestimate the cost of healthcare, including long-term care, which isn’t typically covered by Medicare. “the average 65-year-old couple retiring...

December 18, 2023

NewsRetirement Planning

December 2023