July 2021

UK. Nearly a third of Gen Xers have inadequate pension savings

Almost one in three Generation Xers — individuals aged between 41 and 56 — have inadequate pension savings and face a minimum-at-best standard of living in retirement, according to research by the International Longevity Centre and Standard Life. The ILC’s ‘Slipping between the cracks’ report found that 60 per cent of Gen Xers in a defined contribution scheme are not contributing enough for financial security or flexibility later in life, while 59 per cent of those with insufficient savings lack...

Canadian pensions raise stakes in Apac real estate

Asia Pacific now accounts for about a quarter of outbound allocations by Canadian investors, up from just 10% between 2015 and 2019, according to a June 21 report by Real Capital Analytics (RCA) – and much of that outflow has been captured in regional real estate. This is part of an overall trend of Canadian investors diverting their attention outside North America, with around half of outbound allocations leaving the continent since 2020. “Five of the top eight Canadian investors in...

I am my father’s retirement plan. It’s an honor that terrifies me.

My father lives in a crumbling house. Tile is missing from the bathroom walls, and in the well-worn hallways, my dad has used blue painter's tape to keep patches of burgundy carpet in place. Before I had it replaced, the floor in the dining area was a mismatch of linoleum tile that did nothing to hide or fix the large hole forming between the kitchen and the laundry room. Despite its state of disrepair, the house means a great deal to...

Australia’s Biggest Pension Fund Posts Record Annual Return

Australia’s biggest pension fund notched a record return in fiscal 2021 as strong market performance in the wake of the pandemic lifted assets under management. Read also US. Do You Get Your Money’s Worth From Buying An Annuity? AustralianSuper Pty.’s default investment option returned 20.43% in the 12 months ended June 30, the 12th consecutive year of gains, the fund said in a statement Monday. The Melbourne-based fund’s assets under management rose to A$225 billion ($169 billion) from A$180 billion a...

Corporate France Urges Macron to Delay Contentious Pension Reform

France desperately needs pension reform, just not right away. That’s the message for President Emmanuel Macron from a chorus of top business leaders, days before he’s set to announce whether he’ll attempt change before the 2022 election. Read also Germany finally launches basic pension scheme “There’s already a great deal of worry and uncertainty. It would be a gamble to add more,” Stephane Richard, chief executive officer of telecom giant Orange SA told Bloomberg News on the sidelines of a conference in...

India. Now, wider choice of pension funds in National Pension System

In order to make the National Pension System (NPS) more transparent, increase the subscriber base and ensure orderly growth, the pension fund regulator has taken a host of initiatives easing the process of transacting for the subscribers and the Points of Presence (PoP). The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has now issued guidelines for opening ‘on tap’ registration of pension funds on a continuous basis to manage the pension assets of NPS subscribers under central government schemes, state...

World’s Top Pension Fund Books ‘Historic’ $339 Billion Gain

The world’s biggest pension fund posted a record return for the fiscal year ended March, boosting its assets to a new high and beating its benchmark for the first time in seven years. Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund booked a gain on its investments of 25%, or 37.8 trillion yen ($339 billion), in the 12 months ended March, the most since the fund started managing the nation’s pension reserves in 2001. Overseas stocks were its best-performing asset in the period, returning...

UK. Women’s pensions ‘would gain over £106k on average’ if new fathers did half of unpaid care work, report finds

Women are losing out on over £100,000 in their pension pots on average due to men not taking on an equal share of unpaid care work in the early years of child-rearing, a new report has found. Read also UK. Half of millennials want cryptocurrencies in pensions The "gender pension gap" is a known issue. Women are more likely to be left in poverty on retirement because they typically work fewer hours due to caring responsibilities from their late twenties onwards,...

US. Public Retirement Benefits Not What They Used to Be

Defined benefit (DB) pension plans are a valuable benefit for employees—offering the option of guaranteed retirement income that is lacking in most defined contribution (DC) plans. Some private-sector employees have been envious of the pension benefits provided to public-sector employees. Over the years some outsiders have even argued that public pensions are too generous, perhaps without understanding that many public employees are required to put a significant percentage of their own pay into the plans. And there has been misunderstanding...

Spain. Escrivá Advances A Small Adjustment In Pensions Of The Baby Boomers

Escrivá advances a “small adjustment” in the pensions of the ‘baby boomers’. According to the minister, they will be able to choose between adjusting or delaying retirement. The new equity mechanism will replace the sustainability factor. Escrivá indicates that the pension reform will come into force “at the end of the year”. Read also France. Macron Weighs Pension Reform Before Bastille Day The implementation of the new intergenerational equity mechanism will mean “a small adjustment” in the pension of the generation...