January 2024

Fast Facts & Figures About Social Security, 2023

By Social Security Administration  People contribute to Social Security through payroll taxes or self-employment taxes, as required by the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) and the Self-Employment Contributions Act (SECA). The maximum taxable amount is updated annually on the basis of increases in the average wage. Of the 181 million workers with earnings in Social Security–covered employment in 2022, about 7% had earnings that equaled or exceeded the maximum amount subject to taxes, compared with 3% when the program began...

The State of Pensions 2023: Year End Update

By Anthony Randazzo & Jonathan Moddy  In 2023, U.S. public pension funds remain fragile. According to Equable Institute’sState of Pensions 2023 report, state and municipal retirement systems are on track to miss their investment targets and are unlikely to see meaningful improvements in their unfunded liabilities or funded ratio in 2023. In this post, we will look at pension funding trends and detail the health of pension funds in an increasingly unpredictable market and where risky investments are more popular than ever....

Between Individual Risk and State Responsibility: 20 Years of Swedish Premium Pensions

By Anika Seemann  In 2000, the Swedish pension reform of 1998 led to the introduction of a capital-funded pension component with individual investment accounts in the first pillar of the pension system, known as the premium pension. This article takes the 20th anniversary of the Swedish premium pension as an opportunity for a fundamental evaluation. It shows which guiding principles the premium pension system was founded on when it was introduced, which problems have arisen since its introduction, how the...

December 2023

Pensions at a Glance 2023: OECD and G20 Indicators

By OECD The 2023 edition of Pensions at a Glance highlights the pension reforms undertaken by OECD countries over the last two years. It includes a special chapter focusing on pension provisions for hazardous or arduous work. It describes existing rules, characterises recent policy trends and assesses the design and functioning of early-retirement rules for hazardous or arduous jobs given changing working conditions and ageing pressure on pension systems. This edition also updates information on the key features of pension provision in...

Priorities for social security Global 2022 Trends, challenges and solutions

By International Social Security Association The report Priorities for social security – Global 2022: Trends, challenges and solutions presents a global perspective on social security developments and trends, challenges and innovations, based on the series of reports for Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, and Europe. The global report is presented in a new and interactive format, a digital, web-based publication that allows members of the International Social Security Association (ISSA) to easily navigate between sections of interest. The...

Social security developments and trends – Americas 2023

By International Social Security Association The new ISSA report Social security developments and trends – Americas 2023 gives readers an insight into the complexities of societal and social security developments in the region. It presents initiatives and innovations of governments and institutions to overcome challenges and strengthen social security systems, schemes and services. The report starts by taking a look at notable reforms across the region. While some reforms – such as developments in unemployment insurance and social pensions – are a direct...

Social Protection for Older Persons Social Pensions in Asia

By Sri Wening Handayani & Babken Babajanian The rising number of older persons in Asia has accentuated the importance of strengthening the systems of social protection in the region. This book examines the effectiveness and relevance of noncontributory or social pensions in supporting older persons in Asia. It discusses the political economy and financial sustainability of social pension reform, implications for gender equity and social rights, and design and implementation challenges. Case studies from Bangladesh, Nepal, Thailand, Viet Nam, and South...

Overview of social protection systems in Latin America and the Caribbean: Progress and setbacks in the face of the pandemic

By International Labour Organization The crisis triggered by the COVID-19 outbreak has exposed the gap that persists in the region to achieve comprehensive protection systems, based on a social protection floor which guarantees for universal access to health and economic security over the life cycle. Social protection coverage in Latin America evolved positively in the decade before the pandemic. Contributing members to the system increased by 14 per cent over the 2012-2019 period and the ratio of contributing workers to the employed population was 46.9...

Global Public Pensions 2023

By Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum The Global Public Pensions 2023 report explores how public pension and sovereign funds are building optimal investment strategies to address the uncertain economic environment and factor sustainability into their portfolios. The report draws on surveys, discussions, and written contributions from 22 global public funds across the world with combined assets under management of $4.3tn. These include the likes of Singapore’s GIC, Canada’s CDPQ, Australia’s Future Fund and India’s National Infrastructure Investment Fund. It...

Recent developments in social pensions in Latin America

By International Social Security Association Non-contributory pensions, also known as social pensions, are an important component of rights-based universal social protection systems. They allow extending pension coverage relatively rapidly to elderly persons who are not covered by contributory schemes. Usually financed by general revenues and providing relatively modest benefits, eligibility for social pensions is often conditional on low income or certain other criteria. The right to social protection, including old age income security, is enshrined in various national constitutions and legal...