October 2024

UK. Royal Mail launches collective defined contribution pension plan

Royal Mail has launched a collective defined contribution (CDC) pension plan to provide its more than 100,000 employees with a cash lump sum and an income in retirement. Along with the Communications Workers Union (CWU) and Unite CMA, the employer designed and implemented a pension arrangement for its workforce that was affordable for itself and its employees. Every employee with at least one year of service is eligible to join, with the majority joining automatically. The plan pools members’ contributions and provides staff...

Ghana. Authority to educate on pensions in churches.

The National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA) has marked what they call 'Pension Sunday'—a special day devoted to enlightening church congregations and the broader public about the significance of investing in their future through pension schemes. In recent years, the NPRA, the regulatory body overseeing Ghana's three-tier pension system, has significantly intensified its advocacy efforts, particularly targeting the informal sector. "Our goal is simple," stressed Mr. John Mbroh, Chief Executive Officer of the NPRA, "we want everyone, especially those in the informal...

US. People delaying retirement to get Medicare. Is it worth it?

I started my career with ING. After five years, I was convinced I would finish my career there. They spun off in the U.S. and, after year six, I found a new home. After five years at my new firm, and after becoming an owner, I was convinced I would finish my career there. In year eight, I sold my shares back to start my own firm. The point is that things don’t always go as planned. According to the Employee...

UK. Four New Firms Join the Pension Dashboard Operators Coalition to Reconnect People With Their Savings

The UK Pensions Dashboard Programme (PDP), a project aiming to create the infrastructure required to help over 16 million people plan for retirement and connect with lost pension pots all in one place, has been hit with delay after delay. In an effort to help launch commercial pensions dashboards for consumers more quickly, four new firms have joined the Pension Dashboard Operators Coalition, the industry coalition of potential operators of commercial pensions dashboards. Fidelity International, Mercer, Penny and Pension Lab become the latest firms to join the...

China sovereign wealth fund registers benchmark-beating return

China Investment Corporation (CIC) delivered a benchmark-beating return in 2023 on the back of putting greater emphasis on private assets such as private credits and green energy investments. CIC posted 6.57% of ten-year annualised net return as of year-end 2023, outperforming its long-term performance benchmark by 31 basis points, the sovereign wealth fund says in its annual report. The fund’s cumulative annualised net return was 6.23% since its inception in 2007. CIC says the global macroeconomic paradigm shift continued to evolve in...

México. Corte prohíbe a trabajadores del IMSS recibir doble pensión

Por unanimidad de cuatro votos, la Segunda Sala de la Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación determinó que los trabajadores del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS) que, en su doble carácter de asegurados y de trabajadores, obtienen la pensión por jubilación conforme al Régimen de Jubilaciones y Pensiones establecido en el contrato colectivo de trabajo celebrado entre el Instituto y el Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores del Seguro Social (SNTSS) no pueden recibir, además, la pensión de vejez. Esto...

Argentina. El ‘punto de crisis’ de las pensiones se producirá en menos de dos décadas, según un análisis: 2,7 millones de personas se jubilan con menos de lo que necesitan

Un análisis sugiere que un ‘punto de crisis’ de las pensiones en menos de dos décadas podría hacer que 2,7 millones de personas se jubilaran con menos de lo que necesitan. El estudio encontró que el 59 por ciento de los ahorradores de ‘contribución definida’ (DC), con pensiones basadas en lo que aportan en lugar de esquemas de ‘beneficios definidos’ (DB) chapados en oro, serían menores para la década de 2040. Forman parte de una “generación perdida”, ahora de mediana edad,...

Chile. Reforma de pensiones: senadores de la Comisión de Trabajo aprueban ad referéndum un nuevo esquema de cobranza previsional

Los senadores de la Comisión de Trabajo este miércoles continuaron analizando la reforma previsional y terminaron por aprobar de manera ad referéndum la propuesta del gobierno respecto de establecer un nuevo esquema de cobranza previsional. Eso sí, quedó pendiente ver la redacción del texto para más adelante. La medida busca eficientar el proceso de recuperación de cotizaciones adeudadas. Actualmente cada AFP está obligada a iniciar acciones de cobranza, por separado, de las cotizaciones adeudadas por un mismo empleador respecto de...

U.S. corporate pension fund surpluses grew again in September

U.S. corporate pension funding ratios remained well above 100% at the end of September as investment returns continue to outpace rising liability values, according to two new reports. First, Wilshire Advisors estimated the aggregate funding ratio of U.S. corporate plans reached 101.6% as of Sept. 30, an increase of 0.3 percentage points above the 101.3% funding ratio newly estimated by the firm as of Aug. 31. "September's funded status improved due to continued increases in asset values, with most asset classes...

China: Gradual increase to statutory retirement age

Employer Action Code: Act The government has approved legislation to increase the social security statutory retirement age by three to five years gradually over a 15-year period starting January 1, 2025. Key details Over the 15-year period starting January 1, 2025, normal retirement age (NRA) will gradually increase: From age 60 to 63 for men From age 55 to 58 for women in salaried positions From age 50 to 55 for women factory workers These are the first increases to NRA since the...