June 2023
29Jun

Ghana. Pensioner bondholders suspend picketing at Finance Ministry

The Pensioner Bondholders Forum has suspended its planned picketing at the Finance Ministry to protest the non-payment of outstanding coupons. This follows the resumption of payments of the coupons by government on June 27. On June 22, the pensioner Bondholders began a third round of picketing at the Finance Ministry to demand seven outstanding coupons following which government has begun payment. The pensioners say a planned protest scheduled for today, June 29 has been suspended due to the show of commitment by...

June 29, 2023
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February 2023
24Feb

Fixed and Variable Longevity Annuities in Defined Contribution Plans: Optimal Retirement Portfolios Taking Social Security into Account

By Vanya Horneff, Raimond Maurer & Olivia S. Mitchell This paper investigates retirees’ optimal purchases of fixed and variable longevity income annuities using their defined contribution (DC) plan assets and given their expected Social Security benefits. As an alternative, we also evaluate using plan assets to boost Social Security benefits through delayed claiming. We determine that including deferred income annuities in DC accounts is welfare enhancing for all sex/education groups examined. We also show that providing access to well-designed variable...

February 24, 2023
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November 2022
02Nov

U.S. Allianz Life Launches Income Annuity for Use in DC Plans

Allianz finds growing numbers of U.S. workers want guaranteed income options in their employer-sponsored retirement plan. Allianz Life Insurance North America launched the Lifetime Income+ Annuity, an in-plan guaranteed lifetime income option for defined contribution plans. The Allianz Life fixed index annuity is now available to any plan sponsor connected to the iJoin/IPX Retirement network of recordkeepers, a spokesperson said in an email. “We designed this product to be personalized, flexible, and portable for users,” said...

November 2, 2022
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August 2022
11Aug

Jamaica. $70m in pension benefits heading to court

More than $70 million in pension benefits for 161 beneficiaries who are yet to be identified by the Financial Sector Adjustment Company Limited (FINSAC) could be handed over to the Supreme Court. In its 2021 annual report that was tabled in Parliament on Friday, the company said it placed advertisements in the press on March 14, 2021, in an attempt to locate beneficiaries of the Jamaica Mutual Life Assurance Society pension scheme. It said the March 14 advertisement was the fourth...

August 11, 2022
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03Aug

UK. DWP adds new way for people of State Pension age to claim income boost of up to £3,300

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently confirmed that new claims for Pension Credit made between April 1 and July 3, took an average of 40 days to process. This means those over State Pension age who submit an application this week, could receive financial support by the end of September. To help even more people over 66 claim support worth around £3,300 on average each year, DWP has introduced a new interactive Pension Credit claim form which can...

August 3, 2022
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July 2022
25Jul

UK. Govt urged to allow Nest to offer drawdown

The government has been told to amend legislation to allow Nest members to drawdown their pension pot, as well as extending investment pathways to trust-based schemes. The Investment and Saving Alliance made this suggestion in its response to a call for evidence on savers’ understanding of their pensions, which closed on July 25. The Department for Work and Pensions said that it wanted to understand what support and decumulation products are offered to members, along with what might be offered to...

July 25, 2022
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08Jul

The Role of Longevity Annuities in Different Socioeconomic Classes: A Canadian Case Study

By Rui Zhou, Johnny Siu‐Hang Li & Kenneth Zhou A longevity annuity is a deeply deferred annuity which begins payments very late in life. By transferring some of the risk of outliving retirement savings at advanced ages to annuity providers, longevity annuities provide retirees with enhanced later-life financial security. This paper aims to investigate the impact of longevity annuity provision on retirement income planning for Canadians, on the basis of the tax rules and retirement system in Canada. The research...

July 8, 2022
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June 2022
28Jun

Large Dutch funds index pensions again

Several large Dutch pension funds, including civil service scheme ABP an healthcare fund PFZW, have increased pension for the first time since 2008. The pension funds can finally index again thanks to a steep rise in funding ratios this year and a relaxation of solvency rules. ABP will increase pensions by 2.39% as of 1 July, and will pay an additional 1.2% to pensioners to compensate for missed indexation during the first six months of this year. The increase has been...

June 28, 2022
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27Jun

UK. Retirement guidance improving but decumulation challenges remain

Support available to those approaching retirement is improving, particularly in master trusts, but a comprehensive framework is still required to ensure all savers get the help they need, according to new research. The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association created such a framework — known as guided retirement income choices — in 2019, which would require schemes and providers both to guide members through retirement, while also ensuring they have access to a full range of retirement solutions. Its new report, published...

June 27, 2022
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17Jun

UK. Pensions: Millions receive wrong amount ‘for decades’

Millions of people have received the wrong pension for decades because of government IT failures, the BBC has learned. The errors, which are understood to have been known about since the 1990s, have not been made public until now. A former pensions minister described the scale of the problem as "truly mind-blowing". The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) says it is investigating remedies. Official analysis published last month suggests 23% of pensioners were underpaid, while 17% were overpaid. Some people have been both...

June 17, 2022
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