Pension System – Page 311
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NewsNPRF contributions to fund €7bn banking rescue (amended)
[13:30 CET 12-02] IRELAND – The Irish government has confirmed rescue of the banking sector will be financed through both existing National Pension Reserve Fund (NPRF) assets and contributions which would have been paid to the State pension fund over the next two years.
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Iceland to allow 'temporary' access to 3rd pillar savings
[14:30 CET 11-02] ICELAND – The Icelandic government plans to introduce legislation allowing holders of individual pension accounts to access their savings early to meet “dire financial difficulties”.
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Gov't under fire for means-testing modelling
[16:55 CET 06-02] UK – The pensions industry has attacked assumptions used by the government in a report which concluded 95% of people will be better off saving when auto-enrolment is introduced in 2012.
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Irish public sector workers plan action over levy
[16:45 CET 16:45] IRELAND – Irish public sector trade unions have warned they are “not ruling anything out” in reaction to government plans to introduce an average public service pension levy of 7.5% on €50,000 earnings.
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Gov't claims auto-enrolment will benefit 95%
[17:05 CET 05-02] UK – Auto-enrolment will benefit more than 95% of people in relation to retirement saving despite means-testing, and the “large majority” expected to get double what they contribute, the government has claimed.
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Irish managed funds drop 1.9% in January
[16:55 CET 05-02] IRELAND – Irish group pension managed funds fell an average of 1.9% in January continuing the downward trend that led to a 34.8% loss in 2008, according to figures from Rubicon Investment Consulting.
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Public sector 'to cost taxpayers £335bn'
[16:55 CET 04-02] UK – The Institute of Directors (IoD) has suggested public sector workers should be switched to defined contribution (DC) pension arrangements as public sector pensions as funding shortfalls could cost taxpayers £335bn (€371bn) in employer controbutions over the next 50 years.
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Irish gov't unveils public pension levy
[15:30 CET 04-02] IRELAND – The Irish government has unveiled plans to cut public spending by €2.1bn, and almost €1.4bn of this will be achieved by requiring public sector workers to pay a new pension 'levy' averaging 7.5% towards their pensions.
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Ombudsman may file further Eq Life report
[15:15 CET 04-02] UK – Ann Abrahams, the Parliamentary Ombudsman, is considering whether to submit a follow-up report on Equitable Life detailing why she finds the government response to her report "unsatisfactory", a committee of MPs has been told.
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BT takes sipp for new DC scheme
[16:00 CET 03-02] UK – BT, the telecoms giant, has appointed Standard Life to provide a new corporate self-invested personal pension (CSIPP) to replace its existing defined contribution (DC) schemes.
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FeaturesPensions in Obama’s sights
When Barack Obama is inaugurated as president in January 2009, provisions affecting the pension fund industry could well be an important part of his intended new economic stimulus. But this follows little debate about the retirement system during the campaign, except when US employee’s losses in 401(k) individual accounts were ...
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Zurich to set up new Royal Mail DC scheme
[16:10 CET 30-01] UK – Royal Mail has appointed Zurich to provide a new defined contribution (DC) scheme starting in April 2009.
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EDHEC sees banking solution in Solvency II-type funding
[16:30 CET 29-01] EUROPE – Applying Solvency II flexible funding rules to banks would have substantially reduced the need for recent government monetary support to the sector, academics from French business school EDHEC have claimed.
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Talking Point: The future of DB schemes
TALKING POINT – Research from the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) - suggesting 52%, or 1,000, open defined benefit (DB) schemes could close as a result of the impact of the economic crisis - has raised a debate on whether DB schemes can be saved.
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German DB losses lessened by bond rates
[16:00 CET 26-01] GERMANY – German companies saw their pension plans’ assets decline considerably over the last year but a rise in interest rates in the last quarter also helped reduce liabilities, according to a study by consultancy Rauser Towers Perrin (RTP).
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NewsIrish MFS needs increase from 'junk' bond level
[16:00 CET 22-01] IRELAND – The minimum funding standard (MFS) for defined benefit (DB) pensions needs to be revised "as a matter of urgency" as it provides the same level of asset backing as a 'junk' bond, the Statistical & Social Inquiry Society of Ireland (SSISI) has warned.
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News
Pensions sector rejects recovery term age proposal
[15:00 CET 21-01] NETHERLANDS - The Dutch pension sector has revealed it is far from enthusiastic about proposals from the ministry of Social Affairs which would give underfunded pension funds leeway on the deadline for recovery plans if they agree to raise the official retirement age of 65.
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Auto-enrolment set for October 2012
[16:30 CET 16-01] UK – Auto-enrolment into occupational pension schemes, including personal accounts, is not expected to begin until October 2012, the Personal Accounts Delivery Authority (PADA) has revealed.
