July 2022

FedEx to deliver $800 million to U.S. pension plans in fiscal year 2023

FedEx Corp., Memphis, Tenn., plans to make $800 million in voluntary contributions to its U.S. pension plans during its fiscal year ending May 31, 2023. The shipping company disclosed the contribution in its 10-K filing with the SEC on Monday. The injection of cash into the plans will come despite the lack of minimum required contributions under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. In the most recent fiscal year ended May 31, FedEx contributed $533 million to the plans. FedEx...

US. Private equity allocation helps public pension plans

U.S. public pension plans had 11% of their assets invested in private equity, and 89% had some amount allocated to the asset class, according to the American Investment Council's 2022 Public Pension Study. Public equity and fixed income, combining for 68%, had the largest share. The median 10-year annualized private equity return among public pension funds that the AIC examined was 15.1%. This return was better than other major asset classes, such as public equities' 11.8%. However, recent performance has slipped....

UK. Cost of living puts pension freedoms gains in jeopardy

Inflation worries and the fear of running out of money are putting the gains from pension freedoms at risk. A report from independent actuaries AKG found that while advisers believe there has been an evolution in how people save for retirement since pension freedoms came into force in 2015, the current crisis is putting progress in this area under strain. Published in partnership with Abrdn and Scottish Widows, the report included a survey of 2,000 consumers and 100 advisers, along with...

UK. Advice sector must do more to attract younger clients

There is a worrying stereotype attached to the financial advice sector: it is interested only in clients who have accumulated a large amount of wealth — so it can easily acquire assets under management. This translates to a tendency to serve clients who are old, who have paid off their mortgage and who have a defined benefit (DB) pension. We have passed ‘peak DB’, with more people now saving through DC schemes The ideal clients, in other words, are the Babyboomer generation,...

June 2022

Vietnam: Most citizens grow old without retirement funding plans

Many Vietnamese citizens likely to grow old without any savings or retirement plan due to low income and lack of access to elderly care. Ms Luong Thi My Hanh, head of domestic asset management at investment fund Dragon Capital Vietnam, said most Vietnamese workers do not have a retirement plan and are focused merely on meeting daily needs, according to a report in VnExpress. Most of them save for short-term goals and usually spend all the money they have, she added. Over...

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...

UAE entities should register GCC employees in pension, insurance system: GPSSA

The General Pension and Social Security Authority (GPSSA) called on the UAE-based entities to register their employees from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in the unified system for extending insurance protection. The authority explained that it includes those employed in the government and private sectors, free zones, and the hotel and tourism sector. Registering the GCC employees in the UAE is mandatory according to Law No.18, the UAE Cabinet issued on 22nd July, 2007, to regulate the provisions of insurance...

UK. Women Need Extra 18 Years of Work to Equal Pension Savings as Male Peers, Survey Finds

Women would need to work an additional 18 years full-time to save the same amounts of money into their pensions as men, research suggests. Women aged 65 will typically have accumulated £69,000 in private pension wealth, compared with average men's savings of £205,800, according to workplace pension provider Now: Pensions and the Pensions Policy Institute (PPI). With women living on average four years longer than men, they need to save more throughout their lifetime to accommodate longer periods in retirement, the...

Nigeria. ‘Pension fund assets rise by N1.53 trillion in one year’

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has released its First Quarter One 2022 Report, showing strong growth in pension fund assets and scheme memberships. The report shows that the total value of Pension Fund Assets under the management of Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) increased by N1.53 trillion yearly from N12.34 trillion recorded as of the end of Quarter One 2021 to N13.88 trillion as of the end of Quarter Two of 2022. Quarterly, total pension assets rose by N46 billion from the...

UK. Work and Pensions Committee to question Pensions Regulator, FCA, MaPS and former pensions ministers

The Work and Pensions Committee will question former pensions ministers and representatives from the Pensions Regulator, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) as part of its inquiry into saving for later life. The inquiry is examining whether households have adequate pension savings for retirement and how the Government can improve outcomes for savers. Purpose of the session The first panel will feature former ministers Sir Steve Webb and Baroness Ros Altmann along with Baroness Jeannie Drake, a former member of the...