July 2017

26Jul

Netherlands. Binck Bank launches robo-advised Pension

Dutch online bank Binckbank broadens its portfolio of service with Binck Pension. With this product, Binckbank enters the emerging Dutch market of individual pension plans. Brink Pension is a life annuity that enables clients to build an individual (supplementary) pension with fiscal benefits. This service uses the same robo-advisory technology as Binck Forward. With the desired pension date, the model is able to adjust portfolio risks as the pension date approaches. Brink Forward is formerly known as the online wealth...

July 26, 2017
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26Jul

UK. NOW: Pensions exits regulator ‘assurance’ list after admin bungle in processing savers’ money

Workplace pensions provider NOW: Pensions has left a voluntary 'assurance' scheme operated by industry watchdogs after they raised concerns about the firm's administration and governance. But The Pensions Regulator stressed there was no suggestion savers' money was at risk, or that employers using NOW's services were not complying with duties to workers auto-enrolled into pension schemes. NOW admitted it was trying to sort out delays processing contributions from savers - an issue recently highlighted by This is Money after a reader's...

July 26, 2017
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25Jul

Medicaid, pension costs create budget complications for U.S. states: report

A sluggish forecast for U.S. economic growth as well as an increase in U.S. states' Medicaid and pension contribution costs is creating a budgetary squeeze in many state capitols, according to a research report issued by S&P Global Ratings on Monday. While the risk of a recession within the next 12 months has fallen into a 15-20 percent range from 20-25 percent, the rate of economic expansion "is expected to remain fairly anemic at 1.8 percent over the longer term...

July 25, 2017
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25Jul

Canada. Morneau Shepell releases the results of its Performance Universe of Pension Managers’ Pooled Funds

According to the report, in the second quarter of 2017, diversified pooled fund managers posted a median return of 0.7 per cent before management fees. "In the second quarter, the Canadian stock market underperformed by 1.6 per cent, while global stock markets posted positive returns. The rise in the Canadian dollar versus several foreign currencies had a negative impact on Canadian investors. For the second quarter in a row, emerging market equities dominated with the MSCI Emerging Markets Index returning...

July 25, 2017
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25Jul

US. Women’s Retirement Income Literacy Is Lower Than Men’s

Women at retirement age, those between the ages of 60 and 75, understand the components of retirement income far less well than men of the same age, although even men don’t grasp the topic very well, the RICP Retirement Income Literacy Survey from The American College of Financial Services found. Only 18% of women passed the quiz, compared to 35% of men. A mere 16% of women answered questions about annuity products in retirement correctly, compared to 24% of men....

July 25, 2017
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24Jul

Zambia. Retirement should be a happy time

RETIREMENT is for every worker, whether in full-time employment or otherwise, because one comes to the end of their strength and they have to rest. The end of work, for most workers, means their assured source of income – the salary – also ceases to come. That is why Government put in place pension schemes so that employees can have some sound financial stability during and after work life. We have seen how some pension schemes have enabled employees, as contributors, to...

July 24, 2017
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24Jul

US. To fix pensions, first change constitution

With a statewide pension shortfall totaling $7.7 billion, the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS) has long been on the receiving end of reform measures. And if a group of Arizona mayors is successful, more reforms will be coming. From the 2011 attempt by the State Legislature to increase the employee contribution rate, to 2016’s elimination of the costly Permanent Benefit Increase (PBI) program, state and local officials have tried through the years to make the system more sustainable. Now, support appears...

July 24, 2017
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24Jul

Malta. Reviewing the pensions paradigm: a disruptive opportunity?

In 1889, the first system of State pension provision was introduced by German Chancellor Otto Von Bismarck. At its inception the system afforded a pension to all those who attained 70 years of age, although the average life ex­pectancy was of around 37 years of age. With time, came advancements in medical and sanitary standards, but it also brought with it the challenges of people’s longevity and the sustainability of the pension system and the economy as a whole. Today...

July 24, 2017
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24Jul

UK. State pension changes will cost 7 million people £10,000 each

More than 7 million people will lose just under £10,000 each because of new government plans to increase the state pension age earlier than planned. Last week the government announced it would raise the state pension age to 68 for those now in their late 30s and early 40s. The change will affect Britons born between 1970 and 1978, who will now have to wait another year to receive their state pensions, a move which the government found would save...

July 24, 2017
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21Jul

Japan’s defined-benefit pension funds boost exposure to alternatives

Japan’s defined-benefit (DB) pension funds are rebalancing their portfolios to raise exposure to alternatives and reduce the weighting of domestic bonds in the current negative interest rate environment, according to a survey by JP Morgan Asset Management (JPMAM). The domestic bond holdings of Japanese DB pension funds fell to an eight-year low of 27.9% in the 2016 fiscal year ended March 31, 2017, from 29.8% in the previous year, JPMAM says in a July 19 statement on the survey findings. Meanwhile,...

July 21, 2017
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