May 2022

Malta. Pensions drive up social security spending that hits €322 million mark in first three months

Expenditure on social security benefits in the first three months totalled €322 million, an increase of €65.8 million over the same quarter last year. The increase was almost all due to contributory expenditure, in particular pensions. The additional expenditure is five times higher than the increase in social security benefits in the first quarter between 2021 and 2020. The National Statistics Office said contributory expenditure increased by €66 million, while non-contributory outlay fell marginally by €0.3 million. Pensions in respect of retirement...

Effect of Pensions on the Capital Market

By Sang Wook NAM This study analyzes the impact of public and private pensions on the capital market to examine the empirical arguments for the need for pension development. To this end, we conduct an empirical analysis of the effect of pension assets on the capital markets in 17 OECD member countries. The methods comprise static and dynamic panel analyses, which are conducted in parallel based on panel data on the stock and bond markets and the asset sizes of...

US. State Public Pension Fund Returns Expected to Decline

About 29 million Americans have been promised retirement benefits through state public sector pension systems. And more than half of those benefits depend on earnings generated by nearly $4 trillion in assets held in trust by those systems.1 However, with more than two-thirds of those assets allocated to risky investments—publicly traded stocks, also known as equities, and alternative vehicles, including private equity, real estate, and hedge funds—retirement systems’ ability to meet their commitments hinges largely on investments that are...

April 2022

Bahrain’s SIO announces 6% retroactive pension rise deposited

Bahrain - Social Insurance Organisation (SIO) CEO Eman Mustafa Al Murbati announced that a six per cent retroactive pension increase of retirees from January 2021 to April 2022 have been deposited in their accounts, as per the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. The directives align with reforms to the retirement and social insurance pensions. The CEO expressed her gratitude to His Majesty King Hamad for ratifying and promulgating Law No....

Japan eyes expansion of workers’ insurance scheme

The Japanese government is reportedly discussing plans to expand the coverage of its employee pensions and health insurance programs to all workers in the country. The proposal will be initially handled by a government panel of experts on Japan’s social security system for all generations, The Japan Times reported. In June, Tokyo plans to decide on the direction for the insurance system covering all workers and have it reflected in its honebuto, or basic economic and fiscal policy guidelines. This follows the...

Argentina has too many pensioners, according to an IMF report

A recent report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has underlined the fact that Argentina has a larger proportion of citizens earning pensions when compared to other countries in the world. The IMF document also stressed many of those allowances were disproportionately high when compared to wages of active workers in OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries, which include the United States, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain. The report is dated March 25 and is attached to the understanding...

Ireland. Pension bill will rise €7m a year by end of the decade

The government will be paying €7 billion a year more on pensions and healthcare for retired people by the end of the decade, the Department of Finance has warned, as it included Ireland’s ageing demographic on a list of risks to the economy released last week. John McCarthy, the department’s chief economist, said spending on older people would rise steadily over the coming years, while the cost of borrowing was also likely to rise and the economy would be vulnerable...

Kenya. Treasury cuts pensions and gratuity cash by Sh42bn

The Treasury has cut the budget for paying retired public servants by nearly Sh42.50 billion, pointing to a growing backlog which will not be cleared by end of June. The expenditure on pensions and gratuities for the current financial year has been slashed to Sh111.14 billion from earlier estimates of Sh153.64 billion, according to fresh estimates Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani has tabled in the National Assembly. This came after Mr Yatani said payroll for the public service pension was growing...

Underfunded Public Sector Pension Plans, Social Security Participation, and the Retirement Decisions of Public Employees

Underfunded Public Sector Pension Plans, Social Security Participation, and the Retirement Decisions of Public Employees

By Leslie E. Papke I analyze the effects of public pension parameters, Social Security coverage, and state pension fund sustainability on the retirement of public employees. I use data from the Health and Retirement Study, including personal early and normal retirement eligibility and state of residence. I develop a state-level measure of effective public pension plan sustainability that reflects both the degree of public plan underfunding and a state’s ability to fund the plan with its own resources. Using the...

March 2022

Fiscal Challenges and Inclusive Growth in Ageing Societies. OECD Economic Policy Paper

By OECD This paper was prepared in support of Japan’s G20 Presidency. It takes stock of ongoing and projected population ageing across G20 economies and its far-reaching implications for economic growth, productivity, inequality within and between generations and the sustainability of public finances. Rising old-age dependency ratios will put the financing of adequate pensions, health and long-term care under high pressure. The paper provides recommendations on policy responses to address ageing-related challenges and highlights good practices. A comprehensive approach is needed,...