Reforming pensions in a fiscally and socially sustainable way is a central issue in developing and developed countries alike. This report, produced in collaboration by the OECD and the World Bank, addresses some of the key questions underlying the ...

This third edition of Pensions at a Glance updates in-depth information on the key features of mandatory pension systems—both public and private—in the 30 OECD countries, including projections of retirement income for today’s workers.

Social Protection & Labor at the World Bank, 2000-2008 presents a progress review of the sector strategy by the World Bank, published in early 2001. The strategy proposed a new conceptual frameworkOCoSocial Risk ManagementOCoto review and reform existing interventions and propose new ones that better assist vulnerable people in addressing the many risks to which they are exposed."

Comprehensive reform of China s pension and social security system is an essential element of achieving its objectives of a harmonious society and sustainable development.

This edition looks at pension reform during the crisis and beyond, the design of automatic adjustment mechanisms, reversals of systemic pension reforms in Central and Eastern Europe, coverage of private pension systems and guarantees indefined contribution pension systems.

Pensions at a Glance presents a consistent framework for comparing public-pension policies across OECD countries, as well as reliable data.

Old age income support will be one of the biggest social and economic challenges facing Asia in the twenty-first century. The growing spotlight on old age income support is largely due to exceptionally rapid population aging which is fundamentally reshaping Asia’s demographic profile. A young continent reaping the demographic dividend of a large youthful workforce is giving way to a greying continent where the ratio of retirees to workers is on the rise. In contrast to industrialized countries, most Asian countries do not yet have mature, well-functioning pension systems. As a result, they are ill prepared to provide economic security for the large number of retirees who loom on the region’s horizon. This book takes a close look at the pension systems of eight countries in East and Southeast Asia – namely, China, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – which encompass a wide range of income and development levels. The book provides a comprehensive overview of pension systems in the eight countries, including an in-depth diagnosis to identify their major weaknesses and shortcomings. On the basis of the diagnosis, the book sets forth concrete and specific policy options for reforming Asia’s pension systems. Many policy options for reform are country-specific. For example, a top priority in China is to extend the pension system to rural areas. At the same time, a number of reforms – such as the need to extend coverage – resonate across the entire region. Appropriate reform will enable the region’s pension systems to deliver affordable, adequate and sustainable old-age economic security.

The need for pension reform is widely discussed against the backdrop of falling fertility rates and rising longevity. These developments challenge pension systems which in many countries already encounter problems with pension adequacy and financial sustainability. In the debate, reference is often made to Denmark as a model for pension system reform. This book offers the first coherent and in-depth description and analysis of the Danish pension system and its structure and performance. As is well-known to scholars and experts, there is a huge leap from considering general characterisations of pension systems in terms of various performance indicators to understand the structure of particular pension systems. This book aims to introduce these aspects to an international readership, explaining the structure and design of the pension system and its performance, benefit structure, regulation, critical reforms, and macroeconomic implications, as well as investment policies in pension funds in general.

The use of matching contributions to enhance the participation and level of savings in pensions system has now been in use for nearly three decades in a number of high income countries. Increasingly, countries across the full range of economic development are looking to the design as a means of addressing the low rates of participation in formal pension and other retirement savings systems. A number of countries have recently introduced innovations in their pension systems that significantly rely on contributions matches and related types of direct subsidies to provide incentives for groups that mandates and other indirect methods such as preferential tax treatment have been unsuccessful in reaching. There is particular interest among developing countries in utilizing this design to extend coverage to informal sector and low income workers that typically do not pay income related taxes. This volume provides descriptions and analysis of the design, experience and outcomes achieved in the high income countries where there information about the dynamics and outcomes that this approach has achieved is not beginning to emerge. It also reviews new efforts to use the design in a number of other settings in which the matching contributions have been included as a significant element in reform of the pension system. The review of the experience with matching contribution across this full range of settings provides important observations and some initial lessons for policy makers and analysts who may be considering or evaluating the use of this approach to increase pension coverage.

The issue of pension financing is evolving everywhere, becoming more of a corporate or individual matter rather than a state one. Demographic changes are making sharing mechanisms hard to control, and social deficits often lead governments to pull back from their obligations. This raises many questions for the individual:Despite the burden for securing one's retirement increasingly placed on individuals, many are often badly prepared to tackle this very long savings process, which is often complicated by the specific characteristics of a pension plan.This publication, intended for investment professionals, customer advisors, and individuals interested in personal finance and asset management, looks at some of the fundamental elements of investment strategies and techniques for retirement.