March 2022

U.K. pension regulator calls for vigilance over Russia risks

U.K. pension fund trustees should be "vigilant" about how the Russian invasion of Ukraine and resulting sanctions might affect them, The Pensions Regulator cautioned in a March 4 guidance. TPR recognized that some trustees and their advisers have already been reviewing their exposure risks, and set expectations for those reviews. "We expect you to be vigilant and talk to your advisers about any action which you may need to take, depending on your scheme's investment, risk management or employer covenant exposures,"...

Why women’s pensions need more attention to reach equality

By Helen Morrissey International Women’s Day asks us to imagine a world free of bias and look towards a more equitable future. Equal pay and financial prospects are integral to this but remain an area where women continue to struggle as they remain significantly lower paid than men. This issue affects women throughout their working lives and leaves them retiring with a total pension income that is on average a whopping 37.9 per cent less than men. This is more than...

US. Funding ratio of ‘$20 billion club' rises to 93.8% in 2021

US. Funding ratio of ‘$20 billion club’ rises to 93.8% in 2021

The average funding ratio of 19 U.S. publicly listed corporations with more than $20 billion in global pension fund liabilities totaled 93.8% at the end of 2021, up from 86.2% at the start of the year, according to a report from Russell Investments. The impressive increase in the average funding ratio for the "$20 billion club" was attributed primarily to an increase in the discount rate of about 35 basis points, said the report released Monday. Positive investment returns also contributed...

Labour Ministry launches ‘Donate-a-Pension’ initiative: Check details

India. Labour Ministry launches ‘Donate-a-Pension’ initiative: Check details

Union Labour and Employment Minister Bhupender Yadav launched the 'Donate-a-Pension' program under Pradhan Mantri Shram on Monday. This move is to make the process of creating and contributing to a pension fund for support staff easier. Union Labour and Employment Minister, Bhupendra Yadav tweet, “Launched ‘Donate-a-Pension’ programme at my residence by donating to the gardener. It is an initiative under (PM-SYM) pension scheme where citizens can donate the premium contribution of their immediate support staff such as domestic workers, drivers,...

UK pension funding levels prove resilient in February despite the crisis in Ukraine

UK pension funding levels prove resilient in February despite the crisis in Ukraine

UK pension funding levels prove resilient in February despite the crisis in Ukraine XPS's DB:UK funding tracker reveals that total scheme assets fell by £25bn over the month to 28 February 2022 reflecting the significant impact on global markets of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. UK pension scheme deficits against long-term funding targets increased relatively modestly by £7bn over the month to 28 February 2022. Liabilities fell as gilt yields continued to rise for the first half of February after the Bank...

IMF Sees ‘Severe Impact’ on Global Economy From War, Sanctions

The International Monetary Fund warned Russia’s war with Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions imposed upon President Vladimir Putin’s country will have a “severe impact” on the global economy. “While the situation remains highly fluid and the outlook is subject to extraordinary uncertainty, the economic consequences are already very serious,” the Washington-based lender said in a statement on Saturday. Food and energy prices have surged in recent days and supply chains have frayed, adding to the inflationary pressures that policy makers were...

The Complex Formulas Of Responsible Investing

By William Baldwin Distinguishing good from evil on Wall Street is a challenge. Be grateful there are analysts doing most of the homework for you. An ethical portfolio excludes the shares of irresponsible companies. Which ones are those? Once upon a time that was a fairly simple matter. A handful of mutual funds had portfolios omitting certain industries, such as weapons, alcohol and tobacco. Today, separating good equities from sinful ones is an industry unto itself. There are thousands of analysts at work...

Target date retirement funds work up to a point. Here’s when you may want to reconsider

A retirement-savings option that can be smart at the outset of your career probably needs to be reexamined down the road. Target-date funds, as they’re called, offer a way to put your savings on autopilot: Holdings gradually shift away from riskier assets like stocks and toward more conservative investments (bonds and, perhaps, cash) as you approach retirement. While they are designed to be a “set it and forget it” way to save for retirement, these funds may make sense only for...

Nigeria. PTAD saves N7 billion through BVN verification of pensioners

Nigeria. PTAD saves N7 billion through BVN verification of pensioners

The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has said that over N7 billion has been saved through the use of Bank Verification Number (BVN) in its verification of pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme. According to the agency, the N7 billion hitherto went to settling dead or uncertain pensioners from the federal government account. The exercises got rid of 19,018 retirees who had been receiving monthly pension benefits from the Federal Government. Speaking on the development at a workshop for media in...

You Quit Your Job, but You Still Need a Retirement Plan

When she realized she wanted to quit her job at a San Francisco software company, Anna Rider was taking care of two babies: a food blog that she wanted to grow, and her actual child — the son she had five months ago. So Ms. Rider left, becoming one of the tens of millions of Americans who gave their notice in the past year and joining the cultural moment that has come to be known as the Great Resignation. She not...