January 2025

China: Expansion of voluntary personal pension system

Employer Action Code: Act In 2022, China’s central government piloted new tax incentives in 36 cities and regions to encourage employees to make voluntary contributions to individual retirement accounts to complement social security pension benefits and help address the challenges of a rapidly aging population. After a successful pilot, the system is now fully implemented nationwide as of December 15, 2024. Key details The following changes to the individual accounts under the pilot program have been made: Money may be withdrawn in...

Adequacy of future retirement incomes: new evidence for private sector employees

By Jonathan Cribb, Laurence O'Brien & David Sturrock This report takes a fresh look at the prospects for the future of retirement incomes for employees in the UK. Since the Pensions Commission reported around 20 years ago, much has changed in the economic and pensions policy environment. While the introduction of automatic enrolment has been in many respects a great policy success – and the level and coverage of the flat-rate component of the state pension have increased markedly – lower-than-expected...

Belgium pension protests disrupt transport, schools

The nationwide strike that paralyzed Belgium's transport network on Monday highlighted growing opposition to proposed pension reforms, as labor unions mobilized an estimated 30,000 workers from across multiple sectors. The action brought air and rail services to a standstill and forced numerous schools to close their doors. In the Belgian capital, Brussels airport reported that nearly 50 percent of its flights were grounded after crew, including luggage handlers and security personnel, joined the walkout, and the national railway company NMBS operated...

Ghana. SSNIT announces 12% increase in monthly pension payments

The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has announced a 12% increase in monthly pension payments, in line with its annual inflation adjustment. This increment follows consultations with the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA) and adheres to the guidelines outlined in Section 80 of the National Pensions Act, 2008 (Act 766). All eligible pensioners who were on the SSNIT pension payroll as of December 31, 2024, will receive the 12% increase in their monthly pension payments starting this year. The adjustment...

December 2024

Spain To Boost Pensions Significantly By 2025

Major reforms announced to address inflation and support vulnerable pensioners. Starting January 1, 2025, Spain will implement significant pension reforms ushering both structural changes and substantial increases aimed at enhancing the financial well-being of pensioners. These reforms are framed within the government's broader strategy to address economic inequalities and inflationary pressures affecting vulnerable populations.The Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, led by Elma Saiz, confirmed the increments will affect both contributory and non-contributory pensions, marking one of the most...

German Pensioners Set For Increased Payments Amid Rising Healthcare Costs

Projected 3.5% increase may bring some relief to seniors, but rising healthcare contributions raise concerns. Millions of seniors across Germany can expect improved financial aid as the government gears up for noteworthy pension increases next year. According to recent projections, pensioners will see their benefits rise by approximately 3.5% starting from July 2025, as reported by various news outlets, including the Deutsche Presse-Agentur. This anticipated increase aligns with the yearly Rentenversicherungsbericht, which highlights the progress of the statutory pension insurance scheme...

Rising Pension Poverty in Germany: A Growing Number Below Minimum Living Standards

The issue of pension poverty is increasingly prevalent in Germany, with a significant portion of the elderly population receiving pensions that fall below the established minimum living standard. Recent statistics reveal that the situation is worsening, as more seniors struggle to meet their basic needs. As of the end of 2023, the minimum living standard for pensioners, as defined by the basic security benefits in old age, was set at 942 euros per month. Approximately 7.9 million individuals in Germany...

How Far $750K Plus Social Security Goes in Retirement in Every US Region

A recent study by GOBankingRates broke down just how far $750,000 in combined savings and Social Security would last for someone’s retirement in each state of the union, considering such factors as housing markets, healthcare costs and varied cost of living expenses across America. Such a list, though, can be a bit overwhelming at first, especially for someone just in the beginning stages of planning their retirement, and where to experience it. With that in mind, GOBankingRates has condensed that deep-dive...

OECD Pensions Outlook 2024: Improving Asset-backed Pensions for Better Retirement Outcomes and More Resilient Pension Systems

By Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Over the past two decades, asset-backed pensions have become a key pillar of retirement systems, with assets more than tripling to over USD 56 trillion in 2023. These pensions diversify resources for financing retirement and complement pay-as-you-go systems, enhancing resilience to economic shocks and demographic challenges. Their robust design, regulation, and supervision are important for delivering strong retirement outcomes. The 2024 OECD Pensions Outlook provides a valuable resource for policymakers, regulators, and stakeholders, providing comprehensive analysis...

November 2024

Extra pension increase passes in Portuguese parliament

The Portuguese parliament approved an additional 1.25% increase in pensions, which will be added to the regular annual increase, on Thursday during the specialised votes on the State Budget for 2025. The Socialist Party (PS) proposal was carried by a majority of votes from opposition parties, with the PCP, BE, Livre, and PAN voting in favour. The PSD, CDS-PP, and Liberal Initiative voted against. The PS has estimated that its proposal has a budgetary impact of €265 million. However, a study of the measure's impact, requested by...