August 2021

2 billion workers of world population are in the informal sector – IMF

The informal economy is a globally widespread and pervasive phenomenon, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has noted. The IMF added that 2 billion workers or 60 percent of the world population participate in the informal sector. Although most prevalent in emerging and developing economies, it is also an important part of advanced economies. Whereas workers and firms may choose to operate in the informal sector to avoid taxes or regulations, 85 percent of all informal workers around the world are in precarious employment in...

UK. Pensions minister: Climate risk must be at the heart of pension decision making

By Guy Opperman Evidence of climate change is undeniable. If all the statistics currently making headlines aren’t enough, the considerable amount of extreme weather witnessed right across the globe, from soaring temperatures in Canada and the Pacific North West, to devastating flash flooding across Europe and China, is further proof of its impact. There are just under three months to go until the UK hosts the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, and we are accelerating...

US. Three NYPD execs drawing both pensions, salaries: payroll review

Three top NYPD execs are collecting hefty pensions from their time on the force in addition to six-figure salaries for their current civilian roles — including the man tasked with keeping cops honest, Internal Affairs boss Joseph Reznick, a Post review has found. And despite carrying the lofty title, the trio isn’t even technically deputy commissioners by the letter of the City Charter, which the department has apparently flouted for years to swell its well-compensated executive ranks. The Post uncovered the...

July 2021

Cliffwater: U.S. state pension plans’ 10-year returns drop in latest annual report

U.S. state pension plans saw average median returns of 8.6% and 5.8% for the 10 and 20 years ended June 30, 2020, respectively, said Cliffwater's most recent annual state pension performance report. State plans saw an average annualized return of 9.7% for the 10 years ended June 30, 2019. Pensions & Investments' Pension Fund Returns Tracker shows that the two top-performing state pension plans for the 10 years ended June 30, 2020, were the $22 billion Oklahoma Teachers' Retirement System, Oklahoma...

Mboweni pushing for major retirement change in South Africa

Finance minister Tito Mboweni wants a key regulatory change that will allow South Africans to access their retirement funds early. The finance minister said in a media briefing on Wednesday (28 July), that the change will be made with the proviso that workers use any funds in a responsible manner. He said that workers should be able to access a portion of their retirement funds during ‘difficult times’ – whether it be for a bond repayment or to pay off debt. “A...

Is the Aon/WTW deal collapse a positive for UK pensions?

The announcement that Aon and Willis Towers Watson (WTW) have called off their $30bn (£21.7bn) merger after the businesses reached an impasse with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) over competition issues did not come as a huge surprise to many. While the two firms received approval (with conditions) for the merger by the European Commission in July, the tie-up had become increasingly bogged down over issues with the DOJ - issues which cumulated in the US agency filing a...

US. Financial Groups, Firms Push for a Biden Order on Retirement Security

Financial services firms and policy groups are urging President Joe Biden to issue an executive order to create an inter-agency task force on retirement security as part of his Build Back Better initiative. “Social Security and Medicare face financing shortfalls, while pension plans have largely disappeared for younger workers,” the 31 organizations, all partners in the Funding Our Future coalition, told Biden in a letter, released Wednesday. Read also US. Ohio Pensioners May Hold The Key To Finally Fixing America’s Struggling...

UK. We need more retirement products to help DC savers

In its first nine years, auto-enrolment’s incredible success has been built on how much people have been able to save into their pension pots. Now the time has come to give serious consideration to how this new generation of savers will turn these savings into a reliable pension income. This is because in the next decade people reliant on defined contribution workplace pensions to supplement the state pension will start to retire in large numbers. What this means is that policymakers and...

Our pensions are the most powerful tools we have to fight climate change

Richard Curtis is urging people to take control of how their pension is invested and demand it is given to eco-friendly companies by lobbying their providers. The film director and sustainability campaigner, who is the founder of Make My Money Matter, said that our pensions, which are collectively worth trillions of pounds, are the most “powerful tools we have in our arsenal” to fight climate change. Speaking to iMoney editor Sarah Davidson during a live talk on Wednesday, he said: “There...

Can Climate Change Impact Your Retirement?

Recent fires, floods, and extreme heat events are demonstrating that climate change is here—now—not some day in the distant future. How could that realization impact your retirement plans? Any concern you might feel about climate change could depend in part on your age. A recent survey conducted by the Society of Actuaries (SOA), titled “Financial Perspectives on Aging and Retirement Across the Generations,” takes a deeper look into the topic and provides insights into how different generations view the importance...