March 2017

Temer Backs Off and Shrinks Pension Reform in Brazil

The debate on the pension reform in Brazil presents today a new face, after in an unsuspected turn of his number one driving force, president Michel Temer, decided to limit the reform to federal employees. Shielded by the need of obeying the autonomy of the states and to strengthen the federation principle, Temer announced last night that the Constitutional Amendment proposed (PEC 287) which he sent last December to Congress and caused enormous discontent will be limited only to the federal...

UK. Pension raid on middle-class savers is off the cards

The Treasury has ruled out the biggest pension tax raid in nearly a century after the Treasury has privately admitted that "now is not the right time". The Telegraph can reveal the department has privately reassured businesses in correspondence sent out this month that a proposed raid on wealthy pension savers will not take place for the foreseeable future. It comes just weeks before Theresa May is due to trigger Article 50 which will begin the process of Britain leaving the...

Liberia: Poor-Pensioners’ Money Invested In Risky Portfolios?

The United Nations (UN) estimates that by 2050, there will be 2 billion people over 60 years old (i.e., would-be pension-benefits-recipients) worldwide, and 80% of the 2 billion will be living in developing countries, especially Africa. With such an increase in old age, coupled with the fact that one in five live on less than a dollar a day, Africans should not only institute social programs such as retirement fund, rather effective retirement funds that will help to alleviate...

UK. IFoA calls for adequacy to be ‘at the heart’ of auto-enrolment review

This could be achieved by pushing employers to reward saving over the minimum contribution rate in some way, and by introducing a method of auto-escalation, according to the institute. In addition, it recommends that the DWP consider removing the earnings trigger for when maximum contributions are payable, in order to strike a balance between the ability for those on lower incomes to save, and the risk of them losing out on tax relief and employer contributions. IFoA president, Colin Wilson, said:...

Mexico. Generous payments for Pemex pensioners

Some of the state oil company’s generous pensions have come to light through a freedom-of-information request, which found that 14 retired Pemex officials are receiving over 2 million pesos per year, greater than the annual salary of Mexico’s 128 Senators. The chosen few also receive over 6,000 pesos a month for expenses: gasoline, natural gas and food needs, along with year-end bonuses of close to 400,000 pesos. The top 14 retirees are paid between 238,000 to 362,000 pesos per month; in...

US. workers want laws to simplify saving for retirement

A new AARP survey of almost 4,000 workers ranging in age from 18 to 64 found widespread support (84 percent) for laws that make it easier to put money away for retirement. That support cuts across political lines: 89 percent of self-described liberals, 86 percent of moderates and 82 percent of conservatives agreed. Today, 55 million Americans do not have access to retirement accounts that automatically save money from their paychecks, such as employer-sponsored 401(k) accounts. Low-income workers are especially...

UK. Nearly one in seven workers retiring this year have made no financial provisions, study reveals

Nearly one in seven people retiring this year have made no financial provision for their retirement, and more than one in ten will be either totally or partially dependent on the state pension when they stop working, according to new research. The analysis, published by life insurance company Prudential on Wednesday, shows that thousands will enter into retirement this year with an income that is up to £1,400 a year below the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s minimum income standard for a...

Future savings and pension challenges need a new system

OUR retirement savings and pension systems face unprecedented pressures. Today’s western societies operate pension systems for lives of three score years and ten and populations with lots of young people and few retirees. Those assumptions no longer apply. Indeed, we’re not even sure when workers in their 20s, 30s, or even 40s can expect to retire or if they will do so at all. Much of the UK’s problems are because the state pension system is unfunded. What’s called our “National Insurance...

U.K. Pensions Schemes Budget and more

Contents Spring Budget 2017 Qualifying recognised overseas pension schemes (QROPS) Pension flexibility - reporting of non-taxable death benefits through Real Time Information (RTI) Relief at Source Scottish rate of Income Tax Lifetime Allowance Pension scheme registrations Appendix 1 - Overseas transfer charge, pension scheme members Appendix 2 - Overseas transfer charge, overseas scheme managers Full Content: Gov UK

India. Bank retirees demand better pension structure in Andhra

Nearly 500 bank retirees from Vijayawada have decided to take part in a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on March 23. The retired employees of Krishna district want the Indian Banks Association (IBA) to update their pension schemes and hold talks with the All India Bank Retirees Federation (AIBRF). The members of the committee accused the IBA of not implementing the Pension Regulation Act for the last 23 years. The association is also demanding revision of family pensions from...