September 2025
18Sep

UK. Policy rumours and Budget speculation prompt ‘surge’ in pension withdrawals

There has been a significant increase in the amount of money being withdrawn from pensions, with a particular "surge" seen in those accessing large pension pots, the latest Retirement Income Market Data from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has revealed. The figures showed that the amount of money withdrawn from pensions had risen by 35.9 per cent over the past year, increasing from £52.152bn in 2023/24 to £70.896bn in 2024/25. The number of pension plans accessed for the first time has...

September 18, 2025
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18Sep

For Pension Funds and Other Asset Owners, Trade Wars, AI, and Sustainability Are Financially Relevant

In my more than three decades working with the institutional investor community—is it really that long?!—I’ve learned that setting up consistent listening points is a good way to better understand what causes people pain. This is particularly true with the asset owner community, an influential and powerful group of investors whose opinions are sometimes held close but always insightful. These are the investment professionals who oversee significant pools of capital for the largest global public and corporate pension plans. They...

September 18, 2025
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17Sep

UK. State pension likely to rise by 4.7% in April

People drawing their new state pension from April are likely to see a rise of more than £500 a year, latest wages data suggests. Under the "triple lock" policy, the state pension goes up each year by either 2.5%, inflation, or average earnings growth - whichever is the highest figure. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed total pay including bonuses for the three months to July was 4.7%, which is likely to be the figure used for the annual increase. Almost...

September 17, 2025
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17Sep

US. IRS finalizes Roth catch-up contribution rules, clarifies SECURE 2.0 provisions

The Internal Revenue Service has finalized regulations implementing key provisions of the SECURE 2.0 Act, including new requirements for catch-up contributions in workplace retirement plans. The rules, announced Monday, set out how plan sponsors and administrators must handle after-tax Roth catch-up contributions for higher-earning participants, as well as increased contribution limits for certain age groups. "The final regulations provide guidance for plan administrators to implement and comply with the new Roth catch-up rule and reflect comments received in response to the...

September 17, 2025
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17Sep

Dutch central bank reviews climate and nature risk to pensions and insurance

De Nederlandsche Bank is making a new push to help financial institutions manage climate and nature-related risk and it is conducting analysis of these risks at pension funds and insurers with a view to incorporating them into its regular risk assessments. “While the emphasis in recent years has been on raising awareness, DNB will increasingly focus on regulatory compliance. Supervision will follow a risk-based approach, tailored to the institution’s size, complexity, and the materiality of the risks,” the Dutch central...

September 17, 2025
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17Sep

Balancing sustainability and social welfare: The controversial 2025 ‘pension age’ reform in Mauritius

The government of Mauritius has amended the National Pensions Act 1976 through Section 39 of the Finance Act 2025 to address rising national debt and ensure the long-term sustainability of the Basic Retirement Pension (BRP). The reform introduces a new definition of 'pension age,' gradually increasing the eligibility age for the BRP from 60 to 65 years over a ten-year period, starting from September 2026. The Income Tax Act has been amended to provide income support to individuals...

September 17, 2025
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17Sep

Japan sets new world record for having nearly 100,000 centenarian citizens

Japan has once again broken its own world record for the highest number of people aged 100 or older, with nearly 100,000 centenarians now living in the island nation. This milestone marks the 55th consecutive year that Japan has held this distinction, demonstrating the country's remarkable trend of longevity among its population. Women represent an overwhelming majority of Japan's centenarians, accounting for 88% of those who have reached the century mark. The achievement comes as no surprise, given Japan's status as having...

September 17, 2025
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15Sep

More than half of UK adults unaware of key pension policy changes

More than half of UK adults (51 per cent) are unaware of upcoming pension policy changes that could have a major impact on their retirement plans, according to new research from Schroders Personal Wealth (SPW). The 2025 SPW Retirement Report, based on a survey of 1,500 UK adults, revealed significant knowledge gaps around shifting pension rules and wider financial planning, with many people still working on assumptions that may no longer hold true. For example, despite 29 per cent of respondents saying...

September 15, 2025
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15Sep

Nigeria. PenCom moves to improve welfare of police retirees, assures payment of arrears

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has reassured retired officers of the Nigeria Police Force of the federal government’s commitment to addressing their pension concerns and improving their living conditions. The Federal Commissioner, Inspectorate Department of PenCom, Chief Sam Chigozie Uwandu, gave the assurance during his maiden official visit to police retirees in Enugu State. Chief Uwandu disclosed that under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, plans are underway to clear all outstanding arrears owed to police retirees. He further revealed that the federal government...

September 15, 2025
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15Sep

Greece. Is this a country for young people?

“Life can only be understood by looking back,” Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard once wrote, and looking back on my own life I realize how lucky my generation was, growing up in the 1970s and 80s to have lived in a more peaceful, safer, and more optimistic era than the present. On the contrary, our children’s generation will have to live in a much bleaker world: with wars on our doorstep, the specter of irreversible climate catastrophe looming, and the...

September 15, 2025
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