October 2019

28Oct

UK. MPs call for end to freeze on State pension for half a million expats living outside of Europe

Pension payments to British expats living in Europe will rise in line with inflation But the same does not apply to payments for pensioners living further afield More than 40 MPs are calling on the Government to overturn the move More than 40 MPs are calling on the Government to overturn an enduring injustice affecting State pension payments to half a million UK nationals living overseas. The cross-party group is sending an open letter to Therese Coffey, the Secretary...

October 28, 2019
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25Oct

UK. Watchdog hails success of auto-enrolment pensions

Regulators and financial experts are hailing a rare public policy success after figures on Britain’s “auto-enrolment” scheme revealed 10 million more people are now saving, with record amounts going into pensions. British workers saved £90.4bn into their pension schemes in 2018, according to the Pensions Regulator – £7bn more than the year before. Behind the surge in saving is auto-enrolment, the scheme set up by the government in 2012 to make sure everyone, whether they work for a supermarket...

October 25, 2019
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25Oct

Germany: Age Limits For Occupational Pensions Not Discriminatory Against Women

The Federal Constitutional Court clarified that maximum age limits for occupational pension benefits do not violate the general principle of equality. This confirms the jurisdiction of the Federal Labor Court, according to which maximum age limits for occupational pension schemes do not constitute age discrimination or even discrimination against women. Federal Constitutional Court, Non-acceptance order July 23, 2019 – Case 1 BvR 684/14 The complainant had initially retired from gainful employment due to the birth of her child and...

October 25, 2019
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25Oct

Ireland. Defusing the pension time bomb

The Government’s recently published “National Risk Assessment 2019” identified Ireland’s rapidly-ageing population as a significant risk to a number of essential areas. There is talk from some quarters that the State pension will eventually disappear due to rising costs. Is this simply scaremongering from those with skin in the game, or should people be fearfu for the future of a cherished benefit? Aisling Kelly, senior healthcare consultant at Mercer, says she is not of the opinion that the State...

October 25, 2019
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25Oct

Mozambique Receives US$35 Million Grants of Additional Financing for Social Protection [EN/PT]

The World Bank approved today an International Development Association (IDA)* grant of US$35 million equivalent from the institution’s Crises Response Window as additional financing to scale up the Government of Mozambique’s safety net programs in response to the devastating effects of the cyclones Idai and Kenneth on people’s livelihoods in affected communities. This financing is accompanied by a US$10 million grant from a Multidonor Trust Fund supported by the Department for International Development, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Sweden....

October 25, 2019
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25Oct

Where does retirement income come from in the US?

Most of us depend on a paycheck to provide the funds we need to cover costs of living. But when you retire, your paycheck ends even though you still need a source of support. While different retirees may have their own unique income streams, such as money from alimony or from real estate investments, the most common sources of cash for seniors include the following. 1. Social Security For 50% of married couples and 70% of unmarried...

October 25, 2019
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24Oct

Denmark’s Biggest Pension Fund Just Unveiled a Record 40% Return

Denmark’s biggest pension fund, ATP, more than doubled its rate of return in the first nine months of this year as most of the asset classes it invested in grew in value. Read also European private pension industry hit by negative returns in 2018 The upshot was a return of 36.9 billion kroner ($5.5 billion), before costs and taxes, said ATP, which oversees about $130 billion of assets from its headquarters north of Copenhagen. Read also SA retirement...

October 24, 2019
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24Oct

Chile’s Pinera announces price cuts, new wage after protests

Chile's President Sebastian Pinera has announced new measures aimed at resolving one of the country's worst political crises in years following weeks of protests. In a televised speech on Tuesday, Pinera promised an immediate 20 percent increase in government-subsidised pensions, a guaranteed monthly wage of $480, cheaper medicines for the poor and stabilised electricity costs. He also announced a new tax bracket of 40 percent for those earning more than $11,000 a month, as well as potential wage cuts...

October 24, 2019
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24Oct

Five Ways to Improve Retirement Security in the U.S.

Given the fact that nearly half of households headed by someone age 55 or older have no retirement savings and that one estimate puts the median retirement account balance across all savers at $40,000, the Aspen Institute Financial Security Program convened its third annual Leadership Forum on Retirement Savings. More than 70 experts and industry leaders explored feasible solutions over the course of two days. By Forum’s end, participants had identified five ideas most ready for advancement. The first...

October 24, 2019
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24Oct

SA retirement funds are ahead of the pack with ESG investing

Worldwide, retirement funds are warming up to the idea of environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing. However, most funds have yet to move from appreciating the rationale for ESG investing to actually making such investments. The reason is regulation that, with a few exceptions — notably SA — is not particularly ESG friendly. SA retirement fund regulation goes much further in encouraging ESG investing than jurisdictions such as the US, making the country worth watching — as we saw...

October 24, 2019
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