July 2026

Hard Times Drive Surge in Early Pension Withdrawals Across Kenya

A growing number of Kenyans are withdrawing their retirement savings long before reaching retirement age as households grapple with rising living costs, unemployment, business losses and mounting financial pressures, exposing the deep economic strain facing workers across the country. Latest industry data shows that early pension withdrawals have surged in recent years, with financial hardship overtaking retirement as the main reason many contributors are accessing their savings. Pension fund managers say more workers are opting to cash out immediately after...

June 2026

The World’s Best Retirement Systems Share One Habit. In the U.S. People Have to Build It Alone.

Each year, Mercer and the CFA Institute publish the Global Pension Index, which scores 52 national retirement systems - covering about two-thirds of the world's population - on how well they actually serve retirees. It isn't a popularity contest. Systems are graded on adequacy (do benefits keep people comfortable?), sustainability (will the money still be there in 30 years?), and integrity (is the system well-run and trustworthy?). In the most recent rankings, the United States came in 30th, with a score of 61.1 -...

US. Retirement savings set record high — but so do hardship withdrawals: Vanguard

There's some good news and some not-so-good news on the retirement front from Vanguard. Americans set aside a record amount of money in their 401(k) accounts last year, according to Vanguard's "How America Saves 2026" report. But while savings rates are up, so are the number of Americans tapping their 401(k) for emergencies. Vanguard said 6% of participants made a hardship withdrawal in 2025, the largest share ever and up from 5% in 2024. "Pressures such as inflation and rising interest rates contribute...

May 2026

UK Pensioners Suffer Heavy Tax Losses as 462,000 Rush to Withdraw Savings

Hundreds of thousands of British retirees are inadvertently surrendering significant portions of their life savings to HM Revenue and Customs, as an unprecedented rush to withdraw pension cash exposes catastrophic flaws in national retirement guidance. Startling data published annually by the Financial Conduct Authority reveals a 29 percent surge in the number of individuals cashing out their entire pension pots. Driven by unrelenting cost-of-living pressures and highly restrictive legacy financial products, retirees are triggering massive, entirely avoidable tax liabilities that...

South Africa. Pay is up. So why are workers raiding pensions?

The average salary increase this year was 5.43% – comfortably above inflation. Yet those same workers are tapping pensions to buy groceries and walking out of jobs at the fastest rate since Covid. he numbers, on paper, say South African workers are doing fine. The reality says something else. The average salary increase this year was 5.43%, according to the April 2026 Remchannel Bi-Annual Salary and Wage Movements Survey. That compares with 2025’s average inflation of 3.2%. By that arithmetic, most...

New Economics of Retirement: New Solutions Provide a Ray of Hope

By Goldman Sachs In our annual Retirement Survey & Insights Report, we are pleased to present findings that may challenge conventional wisdom about retirement preparedness in America. While many acknowledge the looming retirement crisis, the traditional advice to simply save more may fail to account for the complex and evolving realities faced by millions of Americans. This year’s report introduces the "new economics of retirement,” as we grapple with the question “does the retirement math still work?” The report illustrates how rising costs...

Europe’s demographic challenge: how to guarantee intergenerational fairness in pensions and beyond

Engaging younger generations earlier  The core challenge is timing. Pension planning often begins too late, even though early contributions are crucial. Yet for many young people, retirement feels too distant to prioritise.  Speakers highlighted financial literacy and pension awareness as key tools but stressed that education must go hand in hand with practical solutions. Well-designed systems, such as automatic enrolment, can significantly increase participation, while pension tracking tools can help individuals keep oversight in increasingly mobile careers.  Addressing persistent inequalities   Fairness between generations...

US. Pension income in 2026 reshapes safe withdrawal strategies

Pension changes withdrawal: Guaranteed income covering 40%+ of expenses can justify higher withdrawal rates than the 3.9% baseline. COLA protects income: Inflation-adjusted pensions help maintain purchasing power, supporting more confident portfolio draws. Advanced strategies rise: Dynamic Spending or Guardrails can exceed 5% withdrawals when backed by a strong income floor. Why 2026's economic conditions change the retirement math Morningstar’s 2026 guidance starts retirees at a 3.9% withdrawal rate due to current market valuations. Research from Wade Pfau and the Journal of Financial Planning indicates that when...

April 2026

UK. Immediate pension withdrawals hit five-year high amid IHT concerns

The number of people accessing their pension savings as soon as they are able to has reached a five-year high, amid growing concerns about upcoming inheritance tax (IHT) changes, research from Lubbock Fine has shown. The wealth management firm revealed that 116,000 individuals withdrew lump sums from their pensions at age 55 last year, up from 110,000 the previous year. The total value withdrawn by this group also increased to £2.3bn, compared to £2.1bn a year earlier, highlighting a shift in...

March 2026

South Africa households dip into retirement savings as withdrawals surge

South African households are coming under increasing financial pressure, with many now turning to their retirement savings to stay afloat. Early data shows a sharp rise in withdrawals from the two-pot retirement system as the new tax year began in March. Financial journalist Maya Fisher-French has warned South Africans against rushing to access the savings component of their retirement funds. Fisher-French says a concerning pattern is emerging, with around 60 percent of those accessing their savings doing so repeatedly. This raises questions about...