March 2026
04Mar

UK. Government urged to withdraw mandation from Pensions Bill

Pensions UK is calling on the Government to withdraw the power that would allow it to direct how pension schemes invest UK workers’ retirement savings from the Pension Schemes Bill. As drafted, the reserve power extends significantly beyond the Government’s stated intention of supporting the Mansion House Accord, a voluntary commitment by 17 of the largest workplace pension providers to invest at least 10% of their defined contribution (DC) default funds in private markets by 2030, with 5% of the...

March 4, 2026
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03Mar

Is Kenya ready for Financial Services Regulators Consolidation

Kenya’s financial sector has evolved far beyond the regulatory architecture originally designed to supervise it. What was once a neatly segmented ecosystem where banks are regulated by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), capital markets by the Capital Markets Authority (CMA), insurance by the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA), retirement benefits by the Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA), and deposit-taking Saccos by the Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA), has transformed into an interconnected web of financial conglomerates offering multiple products across sectors...

March 3, 2026
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February 2026
25Feb

UK. Trustees urged to integrate ESG across DB endgame routes as pricing risks evolve

Defined benefit (DB) pension scheme trustees must take a holistic and proactive approach to environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks as endgame strategies evolve, a guide from Isio has stated. In its Endgame Sustainability Guide, the firm noted that discussions around endgame targets were shifting, with trustees now facing greater optionality between insurance, consolidation, and run-on strategies, rather than pursuing a single objective of full funding on a prudent basis. Isio head of sustainable investment, Cadi Thomas, warned that ESG risks were...

February 25, 2026
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23Feb

Ghana. SSNIT, Sustainability and the Transparency Question: Strengthening Pension Confidence

Ghana’s national pension scheme, established under the National Pensions Act, 2008 (Act 766), operates as a partially funded system. In such a structure, pensions are financed primarily from ongoing contributions by active workers, supplemented by returns on invested funds. Unlike a fully funded scheme, where benefits are paid strictly from accumulated savings for each contributor, a partially funded system relies on a mix of current inflows and accumulated assets. In this context, “reserves” do not function as a simple...

February 23, 2026
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17Feb

Kenya. RBA Cracks Down on KSh72bn in Unpaid Pension Contributions with Stricter Penalties

The Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA) has launched a tough new drive to recover more than KSh72 billion in unpaid pension contributions, introducing stricter penalties and enforcement measures aimed at institutions that have deducted retirement deductions from workers’ pay but failed to remit them to pension schemes. The crackdown responds to a sharp increase in unremitted pension contributions, a problem that has eroded confidence in Kenya’s retirement benefits system and left millions of contributors at risk. RBA data show that...

February 17, 2026
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05Feb

UK pension reforms questioned over saver risk and impact on competition

Proposed government powers over pension investment and new restrictions on default schemes have triggered warnings in the House of Lords that risk could be shifted onto lower-income savers, while market consolidation may weaken competition and innovation. The sixth committee-stage debate on the Pension Schemes Bill focused on Clause 40, covering asset allocation and investment risk in defined contribution (DC) pension funds, and Clause 42, which allows regulations restricting the creation of new non-scale default pension arrangements. Clause 40 introduces reserve powers...

February 5, 2026
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January 2026
28Jan

UK. Calls for free pension health checks to prevent ‘retirement under-savings crisis’

Pension savers should be offered free retirement funds “health checks” to help avert a potential retirement under-savings crisis, a think tank is urging. The Social Market Foundation (SMF), along with savings and investment firm M&G, is calling for health checks to be integrated directly into pensions dashboards, so that on viewing their pension information, savers would be offered the option of a free, personalised guidance session. Plans are already in place for pensions dashboards, which will allow people to see all...

January 28, 2026
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26Jan

US. Congress Could Raise Social Security’s $184,500 Tax Cap Without Cutting Benefits

When discussions about Social Security's future arise, many assume the only options involve cutting benefits or raising taxes. But Congress has multiple ways to adjust how benefits are calculated that can strengthen the program's finances without reducing monthly checks current or future retirees receive. Understanding these mechanisms helps clarify what legislative changes might mean for your retirement income. The Benefit Formula That Determines Your Monthly Check Social Security doesn't simply pay everyone the same amount in retirement. Instead, the program uses...

January 26, 2026
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26Jan

US. 3 Retirement Changes to Watch in 2026: Tax Edition

You could be in for surprise taxes if you're planning for retirement in 2026. And we're not talking about common tax pitfalls, like taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) that force withdrawals from your individual retirement accounts (IRAs). (Though those certainly are important). Several new federal policy changes could hike your retiree tax bill this year. For instance, under the 2025 Trump/GOP tax and spending bill, your "senior bonus" deduction may be lower than expected due to income phase-outs, indirectly resulting in an overall...

January 26, 2026
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22Jan

Extinguishing ESG: US House Approves Prohibitive Bill for Pension Funds

A bill which would prohibit ESG factors being considered by pension fund managers and in pension plans has been narrowly approved by the US House of Representatives. The Protecting Prudent Investment of Retirement Savings Act – also referred to as HR 2988 – seeks to amend the 1974 Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) to specify requirements regarding the consideration of pecuniary and non-pecuniary factors. It proposes to add limitations on consideration of non-pecuniary factors by fiduciaries, including ESG factors,...

January 22, 2026
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