December 2025

November Delivers Mixed Results for Pension Finances

Pension finances experienced a modest pullback in November, marking the first negative month since March, according to October Three Consulting’s “November Pension Finance Update.” Meanwhile, some measures reported a small increase in funding levels over the same period. Both model plans October Three tracks lost ground last month. Plan A, a traditional 60/40 equity/bond allocation, lost almost 1%, ending November up 6% for the year. The more conservative Plan B, comprised of 80% bonds, lost a fraction of 1% last...

US. Why everything you think you know about retirement is wrong

Millions of Americans are terrified they won’t have enough money to retire — but a leading expert has some good news. Some 89 percent of Americans worry the country is in the grips of a 'retirement crisis,' according to a 2023 survey by the American Advisors Group. Some argue that the established system of 401(K)s and individual retirement accounts (IRAs) layered on top of Social Security is an abject failure in desperate need of a reboot. But Andrew G. Biggs says the opposite is...

The latest retirement in the world: which country has it and how far is the US?

Countries with low official retirement ages tend to have high effective retirement ages, meaning that people tend to work until their mid-60s, regardless of where they live. Such nations include Australia, Greece, Iceland, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the United States. But it is Libya that has the highest official retirement age, set at 70 years. Denmark will soon match the African country with the highest official retirement age in the world, that is, the age at which a person can access their full government...

EEUU: Un sindicato denunció riesgos para fondos de pensiones en la estructura del mercado cripto

La Federación Americana de Profesores (AFT), un sindicato que defiende a los educadores en Estados Unidos, ha expresado su oposición a la legislación sobre la estructura del mercado de criptomonedas que se está tramitando en el Senado, alegando que "amenaza la estabilidad de su seguridad en la jubilación". En una carta enviada el lunes a los líderes republicanos y demócratas del Comité Bancario del Senado de Estados Unidos, facilitada por la CNBC, la AFT se opuso a la aprobación de...

US. Major labor union warns new bill could put retirement savings at risk

The fight over how the U.S. should regulate digital assets escalated this week after one of the country’s largest labor unions warned Congress that a new crypto bill could put retirement savings at risk. At the same time, Wall Street is beginning to experiment with tokenized stocks, the very scenario unions say the legislation fails to control. Tokenized stocks are digital versions of real company shares that live on a blockchain but still represent the same ownership and rights as traditional...

US Workforce Is Aging Fastest in These Industries

The U.S. workforce is aging, and workers who are 55 or older have been the fastest-growing age group in the labor force for more than two decades, according to new research by the U.S. Census Bureau. Those aged 55 or older made up almost a quarter (24 percent) of the U.S. workforce in 2022, which was up from 10 percent in 1994. The data also revealed which industries have greater concentrations of older workers than others. Why It Matters There is growing concern about America's...

US. AIC President in Fortune: “Private equity is an essential part of solving our country’s retirement crisis”

Yesterday, Fortune published an op-ed by Will Dunham, President and CEO of the American Investment Council, highlighting how expanding Americans’ access to private markets through their 401(k)s can play a key role in solving the retirement crisis. The op-ed cites data from a new AIC report showing that private equity has delivered stronger returns compared to public markets and other asset classes over 5-, 10-, 15-, and 20-year time horizons, even when accounting for fees. Some key takeaways from Will’s op-ed are outlined below: Read...

US. 3 Big Changes for Retirement Planning in 2026

Provisions in Secure 2.0, OBBBA affect retirement savers and retirees. For retirement savers and retirees, the ringing in of the new year will bring more than the usual inflation adjustments to retirement contributions. The retirement legislation known as Secure 2.0 will also continue to phase in, bringing implications for retirement savers. In addition, the budget law known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act has impacts for retirement savers and retirees. Here’s a roundup of three key retirement-related changes to watch...

Major Changes To U.S. Pensions Being Considered By Congress

Congress is considering major changes to U.S. pensions after a new bill was introduced this week. The proposal, put forward by Democratic Representative Eugene Vindman of Virginia, seeks to make it easier for Americans to build emergency savings without sacrificing their retirement security. Why It Matters Vindman’s Congressional bill would modify eligibility rules and raise contribution limits for pension-linked emergency savings accounts—programs that allow workers to set aside funds for unexpected expenses alongside their retirement savings. If enacted, it could reshape how millions of employees prepare for financial shocks, offering a safety...

The working life course of aging LGBTQ workers: An intersectional perspective and a theoretical framework

By Raphael Epper-Hattab & Bryndís D Steindórsdóttir  Aging LGBTQ workers represent a unique and diverse population of workers who have struggled with homophobic and transphobic social constructions and a prolonged invalidation of their identities, stemming from periods when social exclusion and discrimination dominated their lives. These challenges have imposed multifaceted marginalization not only on their life patterns but also on their occupational trajectories and interpersonal relationships at work. Against this backdrop, drawing attention to characteristics of the occupational careers of...