September 2026

Will Europe dismantle the welfare state? Pension cuts and healthcare collapse threat looms

The economic decline of the once-mighty West is becoming so obvious that even leading economists are starting to acknowledge that the Western economic model faces severe structural problems. For decades, Western media presented the economies of the US and Europe as benchmarks of growth and prosperity, backed by robust markets, high returns, and a generous welfare state capable of funding pensions, healthcare, and social benefits. Today, however, the picture has shifted dramatically. Those same media outlets now admit that...

August 2026

Measuring the Fiscal Sustainability of Public Pensions

By National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems When budgets tighten and the economy falters, some states and localities have reacted to worries about pension funding ratios and unfunded liabilities by increasing employee contributions and cutting benefits. Some have even closed pension plans to new hires. Yet public pensions have a strong record of delivering retirement security efficiently: NCPERS’ 2025 update of its landmark economic impact study finds that public pensions generated $2.9 trillion in economic output and $661.9 billion in...

Australia. Superannuation at the centre of attention

Suddenly, superannuation has become a hot-button issue in Australia. Germany was the first modern state to introduce old-age pensions. That was in 1889 when Bismarck required all employees to contribute to funding their retirement incomes. Australia and Britain introduced means-tested but non-contributory pensions in 1908. Britain’s was shifted to a (partial) contributory basis in 1925. In principle, Australia began moving to a fully contributory scheme in 1992. Virtually all but the poorest of countries now have some form of old age pension. Most...

Just one-quarter of Swiss believe old-age pension will be secure in 20 years

Expected pension benefits have fallen by 16% since 2002, equivalent to a reduction of CHF12,260 ($15,140) a year for an employee earning CHF120,000. The main reason for this decline is the sharp reduction in benefits paid out under the second pillar, which consists of occupational pension plans, whilst the state old-age pension has increased. Meanwhile, public distrust of the old-age pension system is growing, and the majority of the population continues to oppose raising the retirement age. The report published...

July 2026

UK. State pension spending set to reach 9% of GDP in 50 years

State pension spending is projected to rise from 5 per cent of GDP to around 9 per cent of GDP over the next 50 years, according to analysis from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The OBR’s latest Fiscal risks and sustainability report estimated that state pension spending would rise to around 9 per cent of GDP by 2075/76, driven by population ageing and the cost of triple-lock uprating, calculated using historical inflation and earnings volatility. However, in a scenario where...

June 2026

Indonesia: OECD delegation commends reform measures in insurance and pension fund sectors

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has commended the various reform measures being implemented by the Financial Services Authority (OJK) in the insurance and pension fund sectors to strengthen financial sector resilience, enhance consumer protection, and encourage healthy and sustainable industry development. A statement released by the OJK said that the remarks were made by Mr Pablo Antolín, Head of Insurance and Pensions at the OECD, who is on a fact-finding mission. The OECD visit, from 5th to 11th June,...

Spain. AIReF confirms that the pension reform does not guarantee sustainability

The Independent Authority for Fiscal Responsibility (AIReF) maintains that the approved pension reform does not guarantee long-term financial viability. The system survives now, but the future is uncertain and the economic situation is becoming more complicated. The new AIReF report, presented on May 30, 2026, updates forecasts for the 2022-2050 period and confirms that the deficit and public debt will increase due to the impact of an aging population and insufficient measures. Formal compliance with the spending rule but with red flags The...

May 2026

Should Malaysia expand its social pension? Global evidence, design issues and options

By World Bank Group This study examines whether Malaysia should expand its social pension coverage and adequacy by drawing on global experiences and comparing them to the Malaysian context. It explores the impacts of social pensions on various social indicators and addresses key design issues for expansion. The paper concludes with recommendations for reforms, emphasizing the need to balance welfare and equity impacts with fiscal considerations. Get the report here

April 2026

Analysis-Brazil shackles public pension funds after Banco Master meltdown

Brazil’s biggest bank failure in recent history has led to an aggressive crackdown on public pension funds, which were among its creditors, limiting their portfolios in ways that could make it harder to hit their long-term targets. The new restraints for public pension funds, which manage some $73 billion in Brazil, are part of the widening fallout from the liquidation of Banco Master, with consequences for politicians, a state-run lender and even central bankers. Although Master was not considered a systemic...

Pension Eras: From ‘Deterioration’ to Funding Surplus

The times they are a changin’. Corporate pensions were king; however, additional means to save for retirement were developed and grew at the expense of their preeminence. But pension plans’ vitality is rebounding in some ways, and an expert panel recently discussed their pullback from the brink to being flush with cash. Aon figures Matt Maloney, Senior Partner, U.S. Wealth Solutions Innovation Leader; Mark Tavares, Partner, Corporate Defined Benefit Solutions Leader; and Megan Nichols, Partner, Head of Pension Settlement Solutions,...