News Archives - Page 341 of 982 - Pension Policy International

30MayMay 30, 2023

Irak. IMF, National Board of Pensions discuss reform plans

The National Board of Pensions and the State Pension Fund discussed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in Amman, the administrative and financial reform plans of the National Board of Pensions, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA). A statement issued by the National Board of Pensions mentioned that the IMF called for holding a meeting to discuss the progress made in retirement in Iraq and to review the plans of the National Board of Pensions in terms of administrative...

May 30, 2023

NewsIrak, Pension Reform

30MayMay 30, 2023

Ghana. Ministry of Finance holds financial literacy workshop for businesses

The Ministry of Finance, in collaboration with the World Bank, Bank of Ghana, and other financial institutions has held a financial literacy training workshop for businesses in Tamale. The workshop, which was under the National Financial Education Campaign Programme, sought to strengthen citizens’ financial capabilities and promote responsible financial behaviours. It was attended by industry players in the financial sector including representatives of the Securities and Exchange Commission, National Pensions Regulatory Authority, National Insurance Commission, and the Ghana Microfinance Institutions Network. Mr...

May 30, 2023

NewsFinancial Education, Ghana

30MayMay 30, 2023

Early pension bonanza hits Zambia’s finances

Zambia’s decision to allow citizens to cash out part of their pensions early is having an unintended consequence: it’s hitting a key source of government financing as the squeeze from a long-delayed debt restructuring continues to tighten. New legislation enabling people to access 20% of their pension savings has seen the National Pension Scheme Authority, or Napsa, so far pay out 5.8 billion kwacha ($300 million) since it was signed into law April 17, spokesman Cephas Sinyangwe said on state...

May 30, 2023

Newssavings, Withdrawals, Zambia

29MayMay 29, 2023

The problem with UK government pressure on pension funds to diversify

UK politicians are urging the country’s pension funds to invest less in UK government bonds (Gilts) and more in riskier and complex assets including young UK companies, and infrastructure. Railpen’s John Greaves, head of investment strategy and research explains the various problems with the plan. The asset mix of closed defined benefit (DB) pension funds in the UK has been moving more into low risk assets like Gilts in recent decades as these schemes have matured. The sudden rise in government...

May 29, 2023

NewsInvestment, UK

29MayMay 29, 2023

More than half of U.S. women don’t feel financially secure: survey

More than half of U.S. women say they aren’t financially secure, a percentage that increases to 77 per cent among low-income women, according to a survey by Public Opinion Strategies and Lake Research Partners on behalf of the National Council on Aging and the Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement. The survey, which polled more than 1,200 women aged 25 and older, found nearly half said they don’t have an employer-sponsored retirement plan. Among low-income women, three-quarters said they don’t...

May 29, 2023

NewsGender Gap, US

29MayMay 29, 2023

Bangladesh. Govt to pilot universal pension from July

The government is set to launch a pilot programme for a universal pension system this July with separate products for expatriates, private sector employees, those engaged in the informal sector, and individuals covered by the social safety net. The initiative is aimed at bringing people from all walks of life under pension coverage in a gradual process. But no specific authority has yet been established to oversee the universal pension system and the pension products have not yet been specified...

May 29, 2023

NewsBangladesh, savings

29MayMay 29, 2023

UK. Create pension superfunds to save the economy, says Tony Blair Institute

Thousands of UK retirement schemes should be merged into just half a dozen £400bn superfunds to turbocharge investment in businesses and infrastructure, Sir Tony Blair’s think tank has said. In a paper today, the Tony Blair Institute backs proposals circulating in Whitehall to turn the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) – a lifeboat scheme for the pension funds of companies which go bust – into the first of a new generation of “global scale” schemes that are better-equipped to invest in...

May 29, 2023

NewsPension Management, UK

29MayMay 29, 2023

Namibia: Contractors Urged to Adhere to Mandatory Pension Benefits

The Construction Industries Federation (CIF) of Namibia said it is mandatory for construction sector employers to register their most vulnerable workers with a pension fund, and assist with contributions. CIF chief executive officer Bärbel Kirchner said in a statement that the provision applies to all contractors, as per the collective agreement between CIF and the Metal and Allied Namibian Workers Union (Manwu). "We are aware that some companies have not registered their workers as per the categories listed in the gazetted...

May 29, 2023

NewsNamibia, savings

26MayMay 26, 2023

UK. Govt urged to announce new pensions dashboards timeline

The government and pensions authorities have been urged to announce a new pensions dashboards timeline after the mandatory deadline was extended. In March, the pensions minister Laura Trott extended the 31 August 2023 deadline due to technicalities. Trott said additional time was needed to deliver the technical solution to enable the connection of pension providers and schemes. However, pensions experts want to see a new timeline announced sooner to get firms participating in the dashboards programme better prepared. “It’s imperative that the regulator...

May 26, 2023

NewsTechnology, UK

26MayMay 26, 2023

Australia. Rising retirement costs outpace inflation

According to the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA), the annual budget for a comfortable retirement is a record $70,482 for a couple aged 65 and $50,004 for a single. It says a “modest” retirement costs $45,808 for a couple and $31,785 for singles – which can be largely covered by the age pension. Retirees continue to face significant upward pressure on their household budgets with the cost increase reporting higher than Australia’s CPI inflation, which rose 7% for the...

May 26, 2023

NewsAdequacy, Australia, Inflation

May 2023