April 2022

US. Window opens to increase ESG investments in DC plans

US. Window opens to increase ESG investments in DC plans

Retirement plan service providers are betting that demand for ESG investments in plan menus — until now muted — is set to grow. Take, for example, Morningstar Inc. In October, the company's investment management arm announced it had teamed up with Plan Administrators Inc., a retirement plan administrator and record keeper, to launch a pooled employer plan this year featuring an investment menu made up almost exclusively of ESG funds. Five months later, Transamerica Corp. followed suit with the launch of...

How to Get Americans to Save for Retirement

US. How to get people to save for retirement

The House voted 414-5 on March 29 to pass the Securing a Strong Retirement Act, or “Secure Act 2.0,” hailed in news reports as legislation that would “change the way Americans save for retirement” by requiring that employees be automatically enrolled in work retirement plans. Yet if enacted, Secure 2.0 would increase Americans’ annual retirement contributions by less than 0.2% in 10 years. Secure 2.0’s modest gains are thanks mostly to Republicans—who also have the biggest stake in making...

Kenya. RBA forms new entity to handle post retirement medical schemes

The Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA) has formed a stand-alone body to handle post-retirement medical funds. Dubbed Post-Retirement Medical Funds (PRMFs) Regulations, the entity will register and regulate retirement medical schemes without the need to be entrenched in pension funds. This regulatory move is aimed at enabling more people to access quality healthcare services after retirement. Previously, such funds were operated by pension schemes as a special fund since their introduction in 2018. This means that members whose pension schemes did not wish to explore the...

UK. Penfold: London weighting – how the capital is adopting better saving habits

New research released today from Penfold, the digital pensions platform, reveals Londoners are the least likely group in the UK to spend more than they save each month, despite the higher cost of living in the capital. Half (50%) of those in London say they spend more on non-essentials including eating out and events, the lowest of any region and compared to 64% of people in the East Midlands, 66% in Wales and 62% in the South East (see...

US. Conservative Group Wants to Stop State Pensions From Pursuing ESG Initiatives

US. Conservative Group Wants to Stop State Pensions From Pursuing ESG Initiatives

State pension funds should be barred from considering social and environmental factors in their investment decisions, a conservative association said in a push for new state legislation that would clash with the financial industry’s efforts to focus on greener investments. American Legislative Exchange Council, an association of state legislators, on Wednesday put forward model legislation that provides states a template for laws to keep pension funds from following so-called environmental, social and governance trends. “Politically motivated investing, by definition, takes rates...

UK. How to think about sustainable investing for the long term

UK. How to think about sustainable investing for the long term

Although funds that broadly fit within the environmental, social and governance universe have grown rapidly in recent years – to the point where they now account for around 5 per cent of the total assets of UK retail funds – in a world of exceptional volatility, can an adviser really think long term about sustainable investing? For Kate Elliot, head of ethical, sustainable and impact research at Rathbone Greenbank Investments, the regulatory outlook for providers is unlikely to look radically...

Cities that Plan for Age-Readiness can Reap Lasting Social and Economic Benefits: New World Bank Report

Cities that Plan for Age-Readiness can Reap Lasting Social and Economic Benefits: New World Bank Report

As the world gets older and cities expand to accommodate more people, focusing on making urban infrastructure and services ‘age-ready’ — conducive for older persons and younger ones alike — can have universal social and economic benefits, a new World Bank report shows. “Silver Hues: Building Age-Ready Cities” builds on the reality that for the first time in history, there are more persons aged 65 years or over than there are children under five. In fact, by 2050, one in...

UK. Most auto-enrolment pension savers and employers are still anchored to the minimum rate

It’s nearly 10 years since automatic enrolment was launched amid great fanfare; TV adverts featuring famous bosses such as Baroness Brady and Theo Paphitis were part of a huge Government drive which has seen 10.6 million workers enrol in a workplace pension scheme, saving an additional £28.5bn towards their futures. Despite this rip-roaring success, there remains the question of whether the average auto-enrolment member is saving enough for the retirement they want. The Pension Commission, which paved the way for auto-enrolment,...

Major reform of the Dutch Pension system

On March 30, 2022 the Dutch government submitted draft legislation to reform the Dutch pension system, (the Bill) which is expected to come into effect on January 1, 2023. If the Dutch House of Representatives approves the proposal, it will go to the Senate where it is expected to pass. The deadline for transitioning to the new scheme is January 1, 2027 at the latest. This change will impact every employer with a pension scheme in place. In practice,...

Aging in the LGBTQ+ Community

Aging in the LGBTQ+ Community

The Wyomissing Public Library will hold an event to learn more about the older LGBTQ+ population, and how we can improve to create a more equitable society for all. The LGBTQ+ population faces many disparities, one of them being disproportionate challenges brought up during the aging process. When compared to their heterosexual counterparts, LGBTQ+ elders are more likely to experience discrimination in housing, have a lower income, and are more likely to express a lack of social support. Check @Bctv.org for...