November 2025
26Nov

A ‘tale of two retirements’ shows only the rich are saving more — while most Americans are putting away much less

There’s a stark divide among Americans when it comes to retirement savings. Most U.S. workers struggle to save and invest for their older years, putting themselves at risk of running out of money before they die. Only a small minority with high salaries is able to increase their retirement savings and see their investments grow. Since 2022, retirement-plan participation rates, total contributions and overall savings rates have decreased for those making less than $150,000 a year, according to a new...

November 26, 2025
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21Nov

ICEA survey finds most Kenyan retirees struggle to survive on pensions

A recent nationwide survey by ICEA Lion has revealed that most retirees in Kenya are unable to rely solely on their pensions to meet everyday expenses. The findings, based on responses from 1,200 working and retired Kenyans, highlight the fragile financial state of the ageing population in a country where savings culture is weak and social security coverage remains limited. The "ICEA Retirement Preparedness Survey" shows that just about half of retirees feel their pension is enough to sustain them in...

November 21, 2025
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20Nov

Why private pensions can’t fix the ageing problem

Across Europe, politicians increasingly tout private pensions as a cure-all for reviving stagnant stock exchanges, fostering entrepreneurship and curbing ballooning public spending as populations age. But any governments that bet on this solution may be disappointed. A proliferation of individual piggybanks will not solve the deeper challenges that flow from having purchasing power ever-more concentrated in older hands. According to the United Nations, Europe’s population aged 20 to 64 will shrink by 31% between now and 2100, while longer lifespans...

November 20, 2025
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19Nov

IRS Releases Updated Retirement Plan Annual Limits and Includes Unexpected Increase

The IRS released the cost-of-living adjustments for qualified defined contribution plans for the 2026 tax year (IRS Notice 2025-67). The following chart summarizes the key increases applicable to defined contribution plans for 2026: 2026 2025 Defined contribution plan limit $72,000 $70,000 Elective deferral limit (401(k), 403(b), and 457(b)) $24,500 $23,500 Catch-up contributions (Age 50+) $8,000 $7,500 Super catch contributions (age 60-63) $11,250 $11,250 Roth catch-up wage threshold for 2025 $150,000 Annual compensation limit $360,000 $350,000 Unexpected by many employers, the IRS changed the Roth catch-up contribution FICA wage threshold for 2025 (used to determine the limited status for 2026) from...

November 19, 2025
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19Nov

Nigeria. Pension fund soars to N26tn

Nigeria’s pension fund assets recorded 22.03 per cent growth as of the end of the third quarter, as they rose by more than N4.71tn, with Pension Fund Administrators deepening their allocation to Federal Government securities, according to the latest monthly data released by the National Pension Commission. The figures, contained in PenCom’s latest Monthly Industry Report, indicated that total pension assets increased from N21.38tn in September 2024 to N26.09tn in September 2025, marking a robust year-on-year expansion of the Contributory...

November 19, 2025
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14Nov

Public Pensions and Private Savings

By Esteban García-Miralles & Jonathan M. Leganza How does the provision of public pension benefits impact private savings? We answer this question in the context of a Danish reform that increased social security eligibility ages. Using administrative data and a regression discontinuity design, we identify the causal effects of the policy on savings throughout the financial portfolio. We find increases in contributions to personal and employer-sponsored retirement accounts when delayed benefit eligibility induces extended employment. We argue that inertia—the continuation...

November 14, 2025
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14Nov

UK. Most over-50s factoring risk into pension decisions

Research findings around pensions often emphasise the need for people to save and engage more with their pots and retirement planning. Savers not setting aside enough or having little knowledge of pensions are some of the conclusions that such surveys and analyses often draw attention to. Research from Aviva this year, for example, found a notable gap between levels of perceived and actual knowledge around pensions. While more than half of people (53 per cent) described themselves as knowledgeable about pensions, only a third...

November 14, 2025
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11Nov

Mexico. Retirement Savings Consolidate Their Weight in the Economy: They Now Amount to 22% of GDP

The AmAfore 2025 meeting will take place on November 12 and 13, and its program confirms the growing prominence of retirement savings in the global conversation on investments, private credit, and infrastructure. With the participation of international leaders such as Scott Kleinman (Apollo), Michael Rees (Blue Owl), Michael Smith (Ares Credit Group), and Kirk Smith (GTCR), the event highlights Mexico’s role as a bridge between local institutional capital and major global asset managers. The presence of the AFOREs, along with Banxico, Hacienda, and CONSAR, reflects the interest in strengthening the sophistication...

November 11, 2025
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11Nov

UK. Chancellor looking to cap salary sacrifice contributions to £2,000 in Autumn budget

The chancellor is planning to use the budget to limit the amount of someone’s salary that can be sacrificed through pension contributions without incurring national insurance (NI) payments to £2,000 a year. Reports in The Times and Financial Times this weekend said the chancellor would target pension salary sacrifice arrangements to raise up to £2bn a year and help fill a £30bn gap in public finances. At present there is no limit on the amount that an employee can put into their pension under salary...

November 11, 2025
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11Nov

Pension fund contributions overlooked by employers in South Africa

Some employers in the nation have a concerning tendency to deduct employees' pension contributions without transferring the funds to the pension fund account. This is against the law and unethical. When the sun sets, workers depend on this hard-earned money to get by. A few years ago, the African National Congress came under fire for failing to make contributions to workers' pension funds. The sheer scale of this problem is deeply troubling. As of March 31, 2025, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority...

November 11, 2025
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