April 2025
04Apr

Investments in education can reduce the pension burden

Education investments can ease pressure on pension system: A study by the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research shows that investing in education can offset the effects of low birth rates on the pension system. Better education, higher productivity: Education increases workforce productivity and helps compensate for a smaller labor force. This reduces the burden on pensions. Investment pays off: Higher investment in education not only extends the number of working years, but also boosts pension income and life expectancy. A recently...

April 4, 2025
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04Apr

UK. Taxpayers have until 5th April to top up their state pension by making NICs

Taxpayers with missing National Insurance Contributions (NICs) have until 5th April to make backdated payments to accrue more state pension, say leading audit, tax and business advisory firm, Blick Rothenberg. Robert Salter, a Director at the firm, said: “As part of the changes to state pensions, the Government temporarily extended the time limit to make backdated NIC payments, so that people with missing contribution history can make voluntary NICs for all tax years from 6th April 2006 onwards.” He added: “Before this, UK...

April 4, 2025
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04Apr

Türkiye takes measures to boost birth rate as demographic crisis looms

The Turkish government is taking significant steps to counteract a troubling demographic decline, introducing numerous incentives aimed at reversing the falling birth rate. Türkiye has declared 2025 the "Year of the Family," an initiative designed to promote childbirth, while its Ministry of Family and Social Services has unveiled a comprehensive program intended to support working mothers, which includes establishing public nurseries and kindergartens to facilitate childcare. The country's birth rate has steadily declined for years, reaching a low of 958,000 births...

April 4, 2025
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03Apr

Pension investors told not to panic amid market turbulence from Trump’s tariffs

Pension investors should remain calm despite market turbulence caused by US President, Donald Trump's tariffs, Hargreaves Lansdown head of retirement analysis, Helen Morrissey, has said. Trump announced yesterday (2 April 2025) ​a 10 per cent tariff on all UK imports to the US tariffs, with higher "reciprocal" tariffs for the countries branded the "worst offenders". However, Morrissey emphasised that pensions are a long-term game, warning that making “knee jerk reactions”, such as changing investment strategy or cutting back on contributions, can...

April 3, 2025
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03Apr

Women, self-employed most vulnerable to pension shortfalls: Eiopa

Europe’s pension system is becoming increasingly unsustainable, Eiopa chair Petra Hielkema warned. She highlighted that women, self-employed workers and people with limited financial literacy are the most vulnerable, stressing the need for structural reforms to ensure long-term retirement security. The European Union's pension system is “no longer sustainable” in its current form and must undergo urgent reform to prevent millions of retirees from falling into poverty, Petra Hielkema, chairperson of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (Eiopa), stated in...

April 3, 2025
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03Apr

How U.S. Social Security Benefits Compare to Other Developed Nations (They’re Worse)

In the last several weeks, the Social Security Administration has become the latest target of DOGE’s sweeping cost-cutting efforts. The Trump administration announced that it would reduce the SSA by about 7,000 employees – 12% of its workforce – and close six of its 10 regional offices. While Trump has vowed not to “touch” social security payments, his administration has instituted several service changes to the program, including the discontinuation of paper checks in favor of direct deposit or...

April 3, 2025
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03Apr

UK. AI ‘transforming’ pensions admin; use by members remains limited

Whilst artificial intelligence (AI) is beginning to play an important role in pensions administration, its adoption by individual pension scheme members remains limited, according to the Trafalgar House Trust & Confidence Index. It found that despite a growing awareness of AI-driven tools, most people were not yet using AI to support their retirement decisions. When surveyed, only 8 per cent of the population reported using AI tools for pension planning. Indeed, the "overwhelming" majority (82 per cent) indicated that they had never...

April 3, 2025
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02Apr

UK. Research reveals lack of retirement preparedness as life expectancy increases

Less than two thirds (60 per cent) of professional investors feel they are either fully or almost fully financially prepared to help their clients in living for longer in retirement, research by Fidelity International has revealed. However, the research, which included responses from institutional investors and intermediary distributors across Europe and Asia, found that 40 per cent of respondents felt there was a lack of readiness to support clients in this area. Fidelity International global head of client solutions, Katie Roberts...

April 2, 2025
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02Apr

South Korea. Low birth rate’s far-reaching impact: Sustainability of teacher pensions under threat

The impact of South Korea’s demographic crisis is far-reaching, with one lesser-known consequence being the threat to the sustainability of the teachers' pension system. As the school-age population shrinks and schools close, teachers are losing their jobs and becoming legally eligible for pension payouts much earlier than expected — sometimes as early as their 30s. According to data released by the National Assembly Budget Office, 410 pension recipients became eligible prematurely due to school closures as of 2024. Among them, individuals...

April 2, 2025
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02Apr

Zimbabwe. Regulator reforms for $17bn pensions industry

Zimbabwe’s Insurance and Pensions Commission (Ipec) is laying down the law on pension fund governance, reports News Day. Ipec’s pensions and life department manager Polite Chidumwa said the insurance and pensions regulator was working to make sure that the contributions were not wiped out over time, which involved ensuring proper governance structures. Ipec is engaged in several reforms to ensure that member contributions to pension funds do not lose value as payouts to pensioners continue to decline owing to exchange rate...

April 2, 2025
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