July 2020

UK. Pension savers remain cautious during Coronavirus pandemic

The number of pension savers choosing to drawdown money from their pension fell by 42% in April 2020 compared to the same month last year. The latest data published by trade body the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has also shown the number of people taking a tax-free lump from their pension more than halved (-53%), while those withdrawing their entire pension fell by 30%. Figures for March 2020 had already started to show this cautious trend, as 15%...

India. Govt employees retiring during pandemic will get ‘provisional pension’

The payment of 'provisional pension' will initially continue for a period of six months from the date of retirement and the period of 'provisional pension' may be further extended up to one year in exceptional cases. Government employees retiring during Covid-19 pandemic will be receiving “provisional" pension till their regular Pension Payment Order (PPO) is issued and other official formalities are completed, the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions said on Monday. MoS Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions,...

Will post-Brexit pensions be driven by purpose or profit?

Is the City facing into a more purposeful future driven by greater transition to sustainable incomes for its populous, or a new panacea of deregulation to compete globally? Read also: UK pension scheme NEST tightens climate change policy. Direction needs momentum, which is contingent on politics and trade deals. Indeed, many hope the UK might emerge as a fiduciary leader; yet the certainty of whether the UK deregulates or gold-plates in a post-lockdown-post-Brexit world is capricious. For example, the key...

Gig and older workers need to take control of their retirement

Several retirement trends have been brought into focus by the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the most disturbing is the number of workers between 50 and 65 who are in jobs without retirement benefits. Today half of all workers don’t have access to a work sponsored retirement plan. Read also US. DOL’S ESG proposal would hurt retirement accounts According to a recent study by Alicia H. Munnell and her colleagues at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, one-fifth of...

Japanese Trust Funds Align with Global Trends on FX Settlement Risk

Trust funds in Japan have started focusing on mitigating FX settlement risk, to which they have long been exposed. This article explains the change in focus and the factors behind this. Following 2013 guidance from the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) recommending the use of payment-versus-payment (PvP) settlement and netting where appropriate, Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA), along with the Bank of Japan (BoJ), convened Japanese wholesale FX market participants to promote PvP settlement and assist the industry...

Some of The World’s Biggest Pension Systems Are Failing Women

Even before Covid-19 shuttered economies across the world, many women faced retiring with less savings than men. Now, that gap is set to widen further in some of the world’s biggest pension systems. Read also Germany. Siemens to co-operate with Raisin on pensions Women already typically earn less than men and take more time out from the workforce to have children, resulting in diminished pension pots. And as coronavirus lockdowns smash industries such as air travel, tourism, retail and hospitality,...

Changes under Mexico’s planned pension reform

Mexican workers will see a major boost to their retirement benefits after the government and private sector ironed out the details of a pension reform that lawmakers are expected to pass into law by early 2021. Following are key changes and aspects of the planned reform according to the Mexican finance ministry: - Retirement benefits for the average worker are forecast to increase by 40%. - Under the plan, total contributions will rise from 6.5% to 15% of salary...

Canadian pension funds rebound in Q2 with 9.9% return

Canadian defined benefit plans posted positive investment returns in the second quarter, recovering all of the losses from the previous quarter, Northern Trust pension universe data found. For the quarter ended June 30, the median plan in the Northern Trust Canada Universe returned 9.9%, up from -7.1% in the first quarter, according to the findings released Thursday. Canadian DB plans benefited from the recovery following March's poor equity performance due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Despite...

US. COVID-19 Underscores Need to Address Retirement Savings Gaps

Addressing the 2020 NAPA D.C. Fly-In Forum this week, two members of the House Ways & Means Committee shared their thoughts on how the economic stress caused by the pandemic has shined a spotlight on the need to better align retirement savings incentives. “I actually believe, long term, the biggest issue for the United States is retirement security,” noted Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ). “If you look at the U.S. demographics, we have so many of our Baby Boom...

Mexico Unveils Pension Reform Bill that will Boost Worker Pensions

Mexican workers will get a major boost in their retirement benefits after the government and private sector ironed out the details of a pension reform that is expected to become law by early next year, the Finance Ministry said on Wednesday. Read also Changes under Mexico’s planned pension reform The plan presented by Finance Minister Arturo Herrera sees pensions for the average worker rising some 40%, even as worker contributions to the pension system remain unchanged. "This is a big,...