October 2023

From PEPP to Corona: European Aspects of the Dutch Pension System

By Hans van Meerten In this contribution, I will address some salient points in the Dutch and European pension landscape. For instance, the state of affairs anno 2023 regarding the WTP and the 'EU Pension Union' (EPU) will be addressed. What developments are there and do they actually bring the signalled EPU (in 2015) closer or further away? In doing so, I would like to address two topics specifically: the internal market for pensions and developments regarding the Corona pandemic,...

Artificial Intelligence Policy: A Primer and Roadmap

By Ryan Calo Talk of artificial intelligence is everywhere. People marvel at the capacity of machines to translate any language and master any game. Others condemn the use of secret algorithms to sentence criminal defendants or recoil at the prospect of machines gunning for blue, pink, and white-collar jobs. Some worry aloud that artificial intelligence will be humankind’s “final invention.” This essay, prepared in connection with UC Davis Law Review's 50th anniversary symposium, explains why AI is suddenly on everyone's mind and...

May 2023

Pensions and the metaverse

The metaverse offers pensions schemes exciting new opportunities. It could provide new ways for members to engage with their pension schemes, the way their funds are invested, and their retirement options. Better engagement should lead to better decision making and outcomes for pension scheme members, but low levels of engagement and understanding, particularly younger members, is a persistent issue for the pensions industry. Recent UK Government research found that attitudes to pensions were ‘characterised by detachment, fear and complacency’. Reducing feelings of...

November 2022

US. Blackboxes Within Blackboxes: Cryptocurrency In Your State Pension

The recent collapse of the global cryptocurrency markets has exposed many previously hidden dangers related to these blackbox investments. Growing secrecy at our nation’s public pensions has turned these retirement plans into blackboxes themselves. Public pension officials have agreed to be kept in the dark about how much they’re poised to lose in cryptocurrency investments and aren’t eager to acknowledge the losses resulting from their gambling in crypto. No one knows for certain just how much blackbox cryptocurrency blackbox...

PEPP: Catalyst for Pension Innovation?

By Hans van Meerten & T.J.B. Hulshoff In the past two decades, several traditional markets have been 'disrupted' by parties with new business concepts, new technology and, above all, a big focus on consumer experience. Music, video, books, taxi, hotels, banks, meal delivery; examples abound. Is the personal pension savings market up for grabs? If it is up to the EU, yes. Through new PEPP legislation. But will this actually happen? Are providers and consumers ready for this? And what...

The Nobel laureate, Paul Krugman and other experts will celebrate 25th anniversary of the Mexican pension system at Encuentro Amafore 2022

Encuentro Amafore 2022 will take place at the Citibanamex Center on the 16 and 17 of November, with keynote speeches by the 2008 Nobel Prize in Economics, Paul Krugman; 2004 Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and geopolitical expert Anne Applebaum; the political scientist, writer and professor at Stanford University, Francis Fukuyama; and the Director of Strategic Alliances and Contents of América Móvil, Arturo Elías Ayub. It will also feature keynote addresses by the director of strategic functions at BlackRock, Peter Fisher; Franklin...

July 2022

UK. 90% of savers would use digital pensions dashboard

Nine in 10 savers would use a digital pensions dashboard if it gave them a consolidated view of their pensions, savings and investments, according to research from The Investing and Saving Alliance and EY. The report, based in part on interviews with more than 20 senior executives from across the financial services industry, found that 90 per cent would use a dashboard if it consolidated that financial information, while 94 per cent of those currently using a dashboard would use...

YuLife picks up $120M at an $800M valuation for gamified, wellness-focused life insurance

YuLife originally made a name for itself in its home market of the U.K. for its new approach to the provisioning of life insurance: yes, sell a policy that provides financial security to your people in the event of your death; but do so with a focus on improving the policyholder’s current life with wellness opportunities, and encourage use of that with gamification — a model that not only is aimed at benefitting the policyholders more, but increases engagement...

June 2022

UK. LCP launches state pension NICs calculation tool

Consultants LCP have launched a tool to help the public calculate if they can benefit from topping up the new state pension by paying voluntary national insurance contributions. The amount of state pension an individual receives depends on their record of NICs and for those who reached pension age after April 5, 2016, the full flat rate pension is currently £185.15. However, for various reasons some people may receive less than this amount, and, in some cases, they may be able to...

May 2022

US Department of Labor at Odds with Fidelity’s Bitcoin Pension Plan

A senior agency official said he raised concerns about such plans given the volatility and risks that cryptocurrencies pose. The pension fund management company argues that this step only seeks to expand the supply of digital assets available and constantly growing. The Department of Labor takes issue with Fidelity Investments’ pension plan, which allows investors to hold Bitcoin in their 401(k) accounts. Officials consider these kinds of offers to pose a huge security risk to American retirees. "We have grave concerns with...