June 2020

16Jun

Global pension assets rose to $32 trillion in 2019

According to information and data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD, pension fund assets rose to $32 trillion in OECD area and $0.7 trillion in 29 other selected (non-OECD) reporting jurisdictions in 2019. A country by country analysis shows that the United States of America has the largest amount of pension fund assets in the amount of $18.8 trillion. The US is followed by the United Kingdom with pension assets of $3.6 trillion, Australia, $1.8 trillion,...

June 16, 2020
News, Slider, ,
Read more...

May 2020

27May

South Africa. Odds stacked against investment industry as Covid-19 hits pension contributions

The investment industry could face one of its toughest years to date in 2020 as people are losing their jobs and cashing out their pensions to survive, while companies are giving those who remain employed options to save less for retirement. One of SA's biggest asset managers, Coronation Fund Managers, said while it is still early to assess the impact of coronavirus-related job losses on the industry, it is safe to expect that less money will be coming in....

May 27, 2020
News, Slider, , , , ,
Read more...
22May

The Shifting Ground of Pension Design: Reflections on Risks and Reporting

By Robert D. Baldwin Debates about the relative merits of defined-benefit (DB) and defined-contribution (DC) pension plans have been a prominent part of pension discourse over the past forty years. The intensity of the debate has ebbed and flowed over the years but has been more intense in recent years as there has been a shift from DB to DC plans in Canada. This shift has left the remaining members of DB plans feeling threatened and, for many, the...

May 22, 2020
Aging, Articles, , , , ,
Read more...
19May

How to Motivate Young Workers to Save For Retirement

For most young workers, planning for retirement typically isn’t a priority. But as the nation’s fiscal outlook darkens, the likelihood that Congress will scale back Social Security benefits in the coming years only grows. Without early planning, most simply won’t be able to maintain the standard of living they expect in retirement.  Whether you want to educate your young employees about planning for retirement or ensure a secure future for your child, here are four tips to help you...

May 19, 2020
News, Slider, ,
Read more...
18May

UK. Pension savers unable to move their cash as trustees use emergency powers

Savers who want to ditch defined benefit pensions as their employers struggle to survive may find themselves trapped by trustees using emergency powers to halt transfers. Businesses facing financial hardship have been the first to see trustees of their staff pension funds block members from moving their cash for three months during the pandemic. This stops anyone wanting to transfer out of defined benefit pensions, which pay a guaranteed income in retirement, into more flexible but riskier “defined...

May 18, 2020
News, Slider, , ,
Read more...
07May

UK. Staggering £19bn left languishing in unclaimed pension pots

Insurance association will work with UK government to ensure people ‘are reconnected’ with assets. Many Brits are not contacting their pension provider when they move house. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) surveyed 2,000 UK adults and estimated that there are around 1.6 million pension pots worth £19.4bn ($24.2bn, €22.5bn) unclaimed. This is the equivalent of nearly £13,000 per pension pot. The survey comes several years after the government predicted that there could be as many as 50 million...

May 7, 2020
News, ,
Read more...
07May

Staggering £19bn left languishing in unclaimed pension pots

Insurance association will work with UK government to ensure people ‘are reconnected’ with assets Many Brits are not contacting their pension provider when they move house. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) surveyed 2,000 UK adults and estimated that there are around 1.6 million pension pots worth £19.4bn ($24.2bn, €22.5bn) unclaimed. This is the equivalent of nearly £13,000 per pension pot. The survey comes several years after the government predicted that there could be as many as 50 million dormant and lost pensions by...

May 7, 2020
News, Slider,
Read more...
01May

An Equilibrium Theory of Retirement Plan Design

By Ryan Bubb and Patrick L. Warren We develop an equilibrium theory of employer-sponsored retirement plan design using a behavioral contract theory approach. The operation of the labor market results in retirement plans that generally cater to, rather than correct, workers' mistakes. Our theory provides new explanations for a range of facts about retirement plan design, including the use of employer matching contributions and the use of default contribution rates in automatic enrollment plans that lower many workers' savings....

May 1, 2020
Articles, Pension design, , ,
Read more...

April 2020

28Apr

Australian Disability pensioners fight for COVID-19 supplement

Disability pensioners claim they have been discriminated against by the federal government in its response to the coronavirus pandemic, with one young Sydney man saying he is on the verge of homelessness. A coalition of advocacy groups are demanding the government include people receiving the disability support pension on the fortnightly $550 COVID-19 supplement following the exclusion of disabled people and their carers, despite welfare recipients such as those on JobSeeker, Youth Allowance and Austudy being eligible. Brendan Brest, 22, who...

April 28, 2020
News, Slider, , ,
Read more...
27Apr

Asian Pensions Under Pressure on Early Withdrawals

The trade-off between the needs of today and the desires of tomorrow is challenging the retirement savings systems in Asia as Covid-19 forces early withdrawals. Retirement schemes in Asia could face funding shortfalls after pension systems in Australia, South Korea and Malaysia have allowed early withdrawals, while others in the region are under pressure to follow suit. Read also South Africa: The Rules Around Pensions in a Time of Mass Job Losses The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic is causing as yet untold damage...

April 27, 2020
News, Slider, , ,
Read more...