January 2022
04Jan

Financial health of largest U.S. corporate pension plans surges to highest level since financial crisis

The financial health of the nation’s largest corporate defined benefit pension plans improved significantly in 2021 as strong investment returns and rising interest rates help to drive their aggregate funded status to its best level since before the 2008 financial crisis, according to an analysis by Willis Towers Watson (NASDAQ: WLTW), a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company. Read also US. Pandemic’s impact on retirement savings varies by geography, gender and age Willis Towers Watson examined pension plan data for...

January 4, 2022
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04Jan

UK. PMI warns majority of savers will be caught out by pension age rise

According to research from the PMI, published on December 29, which surveyed 2,000 individuals, 82 per cent of working people in their forties were not aware of the upcoming rise in the NMPA, which is set to increase from 55 to 57 in April 2028. The PMI said this change will directly affect the retirement options for those currently in their mid to late forties. The increase in the NMPA has been criticised across the industry as it will not apply...

January 4, 2022
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04Jan

South Africa. Allowing withdrawals from pension funds to increase retirement savings

To allow limited withdrawals from pension funds will actually help people to save more for their retirement, according to a study by National Treasury. The research found that people sometimes resign from their jobs for the sole reason of accessing their pension fund in emergencies, and end up spending everything. The proposal to split retirement funds into two ‘pots’ and give people access to withdraw from one is expected to solve the problem. Treasury recently published more information on this and...

January 4, 2022
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04Jan

Markers of impact that investors will be watching in the year ahead

There’s no permission required, no excuses accepted, and no better time for impact investors to step up to leadership. The pathways to climate solutions are clear, the returns on inclusion immense. To be sure, government leadership can accelerate deployment, but the case for private investment is more than compelling. ImpactAlpha’s team of reporters and editors has counted down nearly two dozen markers of impact across our core coverage areas.   The Reconstruction in 2022 No. 22. A bottom-up and top-down mobilization to rewrite...

January 4, 2022
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03Jan

Germans see pandemic, pensions as biggest topics for 2022-poll

Germans want their new government to focus on fighting the coronavirus pandemic and safeguarding pensions in 2022, with fewer people wanting them to prioritise the climate crisis, an opinion poll showed on Sunday. The survey by pollsters Insa for the Bild am Sonntag newspaper showed that 61% of the 2,004 people questioned think combating the pandemic is the most important task of the government, followed by securing pensions. Germans also want the government to deal with a shortage of staff...

January 3, 2022
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03Jan

Private climate investment needs to get intentional about gender and equity — here’s how

By Suzanne Biegel The private capital committed by members of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) has the potential to transform climate investments. Yet climate investment decision-makers don’t reflect the diversity we need for a just transition. They are therefore likely to overlook the women outside of their networks driving many solutions. Read also ESG Investing Is Not Sustainable Investing This is true in both developed and developing markets. Growing research shows that having more women in decision-making positions results...

January 3, 2022
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03Jan

Why having so much pension money became a headache for Iceland

This is one of those first world problems that we would like to have in Latin American countries: “I don’t know what to do with so much money.” Although it is a cartoon, the truth is that Iceland’s pension system, which has been listed as one of the most successful in the world, has such a gigantic amount of resources that there is now a debate in the country about what is the best way to invest those funds. With assets...

January 3, 2022
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03Jan

Can China’s creaky health insurance scheme withstand its ageing population and coronavirus?

For two decades, 65-year-old farmer Che Xiuyue had been troubled by osteophytes, bony lumps that grew on her knees, causing her unbearable pain and stiffness. Read also Commentary: China and ESG — a delicate balance In 2019, unable to stomach the discomfort any longer, she finally had surgery to treat them. But when she received the bill of 10,000 yuan (US$1,569), Che was overcome by a new wave of distress. Read also Taiwan fund to issue $2.3 bln climate change pension mandate,...

January 3, 2022
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December 2021
31Dec

US. Gig Economy Retirement Planning

Gig workers, like everyone else, deserve a pension. Freelancers, contract workers, self-employed, temp workers, on-call employees, and individuals with side hustles make up a significant component of our economy. Currently, 57 million Americans are estimated to be gig workers. Since March of last year, freelancing and gig marketplaces like Gigspot and Upwork have reported growth in users. Freelancers may make up half of US employment by 2023. Statista reported data from a 2018 poll in January indicating 27% of full-time...

December 31, 2021
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30Dec

UK. Platforms must help advisers reduce carbon footprints

Platforms must explore ways to support advisers in their digital and sustainable goals, M&G Wealth’s sales director has said. Justin Blower told FTAdviser UK platforms needed to keep up the momentum in their digitisation and automation strategies, as hybrid advice becomes more important in a post-pandemic world and the UK government increasingly prioritises carbon neutrality in the wake of Cop26. “Generally, advice firms have embraced portals and technology that allow them to service clients remotely,” said Blower. “And many more clients...

December 30, 2021
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