September 2024
10Sep

Ghana. NPRA press releases on informal sector pensions: Matters arising

There are two press releases circulating on Informal Sector Pensions dated 26/08/2024 and 30/08/2024 issued by the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA), bringing to the attention of the general public that informal sector pensions already exist. In the 30/08/2024 press release, the NPRA directly linked informal sector workers to self-employed persons, stating: “…the new Pensions law has offered opportunities for self-employed persons (informal sector workers) to voluntarily contribute towards their pensions. Additionally, the NPRA associated Personal Pension Schemes with the informal...

September 10, 2024
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June 2024
21Jun

Russia. Putin suggests using oil windfall for pensions

Russia's President Vladimir Putin suggested on Thursday to use a part of the accumulated oil wealth to support voluntary pensions saving and capitalise development institutions. "Part of the money in the National Prosperity Fund should be used to co-finance voluntary pension savings," Putin said in his annual address to both houses of parliament. Putin suggested the state should contribute 1,000 roubles for each 1,000 roubles contributed by private individuals in voluntary pension savings schemes. "Part of the money should be used for...

June 21, 2024
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April 2024
03Apr

Serbian voluntary pension funds’ assets rise 11.5% y/y at end-2023

The net assets held by voluntary pension funds (VPFs) in Serbia rose 11.5% on the year to 53.8 billion dinars ($495 million/461 million euro) at the end of 2023, the country's central bank, NBS, said. The volume of net assets was up 2.7% compared to the end of September, NBS said in a statement on Monday. At the close of December, the majority of VPF assets were allocated to government securities, comprising 70%, with balances in custody accounts and bank time...

April 3, 2024
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December 2023
18Dec

UK. Voluntary NI contributions surge 85% as people boost state pension

Voluntary contributions, also known as class 3 national insurance contributions, stood at £391.9mn for the year ending March 31, 2023. According to Hargreaves Lansdown, this is an 85 per cent surge on the £212.3mn paid the previous year. Class 3 contributions are voluntary contributions that can be used to fill gaps in national insurance records to boost state pension entitlement. Individuals can fill gaps going back six tax years though there is an opportunity for some people to fill gaps going back...

December 18, 2023
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September 2023
29Sep

Motivated Saving: The Impact of Projections on Retirement Contributions

By George Smyrnis, Hazel Bateman, Loretti Dobrescu, Ben R. Newell & Susan Throp Projections of future benefits can assist pension plan participants prepare for retirement. Here we measure the effects of projections of retirement incomes and lump sum balances on voluntary contributions and plan interactions of retirement savers. Data from a two-year field trial in a large Australian pension plan show that the frequency and average amount of participants’ voluntary contributions and interactions with the plan rose significantly in the...

September 29, 2023
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May 2023
12May

Retirement Plan Reforms in the Absence of a Retirement Policy

By Natalya Shnitser The US retirement system is currently characterized by tremendous diversity of instruments, institutions, and intermediaries in pursuit of the same goal. While the goal – achieving financial security in retirement – is widely accepted by policymakers and participants, for individuals in the United States, the nature of the “investment” experience in the retirement context varies considerably based on the identity, savviness, and size of the intermediaries, as well as the particular legal regime to which such intermediaries...

May 12, 2023
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April 2023
20Apr

Kenya. Retirements Benefits Authority Woos The Jua Kali Sector

The Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA) is eyeing the jua kali sector as it begins to roll out its services to counties, RBA Deputy Director Peter Ngunyi has said. Ngunyi who was speaking during the launch of RBA service desk at the Nyeri Huduma Centre, said that in addition to bringing services closer to retirees in the counties, they were also looking to tap into the informal sector which constitutes 80 per cent of the labour market. He further explained that the...

April 20, 2023
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11Apr

Ghana. Traditional leader urges informal sector workers to join tier-three pensions

Nana Akrapim Baffo Agyentaduahene IV, the Paramount Chief of the Nkoranza Traditional Area in the Bono East Region, has urged artisanal workers to register and join pension schemes for their own good. He said pensions did not only provide financial security for the aged, but also help the aged live stress and depression free lives. He said the aged required stress-free life to live longer and achieve their goals and aspirations. The Paramount Chief gave the advice when personnel of the Bono...

April 11, 2023
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September 2022
12Sep

India. Universal Pension Scheme: New EPFO scheme may cover unorganised workers

If the scheme gets approved, the unorganised sector workers will put in a fixed amount with a flexibility of making voluntary payments. The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) may extend its pension scheme to workers from both organised and unorganised sectors, irrespective of their monthly income, the Financial Express reported. The proposed scheme is likely to be based on individual contribution. The government, through this scheme, seeks to ensure a minimum pension of Rs 3,000 a month after reaching 60 years...

September 12, 2022
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June 2022
21Jun

UK. LCP launches state pension NICs calculation tool

Consultants LCP have launched a tool to help the public calculate if they can benefit from topping up the new state pension by paying voluntary national insurance contributions. The amount of state pension an individual receives depends on their record of NICs and for those who reached pension age after April 5, 2016, the full flat rate pension is currently £185.15. However, for various reasons some people may receive less than this amount, and, in some cases, they may be able to...

June 21, 2022
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