September 2023
11Sep

South Korea. Urgent pension reform

One of the problems modern welfare states must tackle is defusing the pension time bomb. And nowhere is this more urgent than in Korea, with the fastest aging population and steepest decline in birth rate worldwide. Moreover, thanks to accumulated funds, Korean retirees receive considerably more than they contributed. It contrasts with the pay-as-you-go-type schemes of some countries. That cannot go on because of the nation's demographic structure. Someone must persuade Koreans to get less ― or at least not more ―...

September 11, 2023
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August 2023
31Aug

The Impact of Aging Demographics on Public Health Challenges

The global population continues to increase, although the growth rate has been gradually declining. Specific current population trends can vary depending on the region and country. Many developing countries experience higher population growth rates compared to developed nations. Many countries are experiencing an increase in the proportion of elderly individuals due to declining birth rates and improved healthcare leading to longer life expectancy. Population dynamics play a pivotal role in shaping the direction and challenges of public health initiatives. As...

August 31, 2023
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31Aug

The answer to the problem of loneliness and ageism among older adults may lie in community resilience

Ageism and loneliness are two relevant public health issues, mainly affecting older adults' mental health. As the average life expectancy increases, these issues tend to coexist and may threaten the quality of life of older adults, particularly those with significant barriers. New research has shown that resilience could reduce the mental health effects of ageism and loneliness, but the impact on minority elders remains unclear. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that older adults, in general, will be more racially and...

August 31, 2023
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29Aug

Labour unions push to raise retirement age in greying South Korea

South Korean labour unions are battling company managements to press an unusual demand: raising the age of retirement to give workers a few more wage-earning years before having to seek another job to supplement slim pensions. The issue fuels a contest for jobs between older workers among one of the world's fastest-ageing populations, with a rate of poverty among its elderly of three times the OECD average, and young workforce entrants facing dwindling options. "Having to move to low-quality jobs after...

August 29, 2023
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24Aug

Aging Is Trending On TikTok – Lean In To Inspire Gen Z’s Retirement Goals

Coastal grandmother and grandmillennial may be popular design trends on TikTok but getting younger generations to financially plan for those years is more of a challenge. Nearly a third of Gen Z workers are not are not saving for retirement, according to a recent Bankrate survey, and roughly the same amount report feeling behind on their planning. While the Gen Z cohort, which includes workers between the ages of 18-25, has the benefit of time to build the foundations of...

August 24, 2023
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24Aug

Retirement age in Germany continues to rise, new figures show

Last year the average age for men to access old-age pensions increased to 64.4. This is up from 64.1 the previous year and 62.4 years in 2001. For women, the retirement age also rose, from 62.5 in 2001 to 64.2 in 2021 and 64.4 last year. In a parallel development, retirees in recent years have been receiving their benefits for longer. Among men, the duration of pension benefits has increased from 16.7 to 18.8 over the past decade. Women received...

August 24, 2023
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23Aug

Japan records its second-worst income disparity as society ages

Japan’s income inequality hit its second-worst level on record, according to a labor ministry survey conducted in 2021. The Gini coefficient--an index that measures income inequality on a scale ranging between 0 and 1--rose to 0.5700 based on initial income, or before distribution through taxation and social security, according to the Income Redistribution Survey released on Aug. 22. The coefficient, calculated based on income data from 2020, increased from 0.5594 in the previous survey in 2017. A 2014 survey saw the highest...

August 23, 2023
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July 2023
23Jul

Relationship between Social Security Programs and Elderly Employment in Japan

By Takashi Oshio, Satoshi Shimizutani & Akiko S. Oishi  This study examines how elderly employment is associated with social security programs and how it responds to recent reforms in Japan. To this end, we employed a rich and longitudinal dataset of middle-aged and older individuals collected between 2005 and 2018. By incorporating various factors related to social security incentives into a single index of implicit tax (ITAX), we confirmed that the index successfully captured the incentives and their changes incorporated...

July 23, 2023
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23Jul

Early Retirement Provision for Elderly Displaced Workers

By Herman Kruse & Andreas Steinvall Myhre This paper studies the economic effects on re-employment and program substitution behavior among elderly displaced workers who exogenously lose eligibility for their early retirement option. We use detailed Norwegian matched employer-employee data containing information on bankruptcy dates and individual income, wealth, pensions and social security benefits. As job displacement before a certain age cut-off results in the loss of eligibility for early retirement benefits between ages 62–67 years in Norway, we are able...

July 23, 2023
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21Jul

Reforming against the demographic clock

By Allianz Research  Allianz launched the second edition of its Global Pension Report, which analyzes 75 pension systems around the globe using its proprietary Allianz Pension Index (API). The index consists of three pillars: Analysis of basic demographic and fiscal conditions as well as determination of the sustainability (e.g. funding and contribution periods) and adequacy (e.g. degree of diffusion and pension level) of the pension system. A total of 40 parameters are considered, with values ranging from 1 (very good)...

July 21, 2023
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