Top 10

These are the top ten most read articles on PensionReforms.

Tackling Poverty in Old Age: A universal pension for Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka can afford a universal pension despite its relative poverty and undeveloped financial framework. The State Pension Age and annual pension are the key variables. The same logic applies to rich and poor countries alike. more

Savings in the Absence of Functioning Property Rights
What to do about public policy on pensions if formal property rights don't really exist? The usual prescriptions shouldn't apply so building on traditional ways of looking after the old is at least part of the answer. Fixing the legal system should also be part of the solution and not just for retirement incomes. more

Universal pensions in Mauritius: Lessons for the Rest of Us
Not many countries have a universal (Tier 1) pension. Mauritius (pop. 1.3 m; GDP per capita now $US5,500) started one in 1950 almost by accident when it was a lot poorer. It experimented twice with income tests but now everyone over 60 gets a pension. more

Macroeconomic Effects of Pension Reform in Chile
This 20 year review of Chile's pension arrangements identifies its achievements and quantifies its contribution to key economic indicators. However, looking at the past doesn't mean it should be the future. more

Are Kiwis saving enough for retirement? Preliminary evidence from SOFIE
For the last 20 years, New Zealand has had a two-pillar retirement income system - an elegant, universal, PAYG state pension plus voluntary saving. There have been no tax incentives or compulsion for the second pillar of private provision. So, how have New Zealanders responded? Apparently, mostly quite rationally. So what's the problem? more

A Synopsis of Theory, Evidence and Recent Treasury Analysis on Saving
The radical extensions to KiwiSaver by the New Zealand government's 2007 Budget on the eve of its 1 July 2007 start date have raised the issue of whether governments really can change behaviour to increase either total individual or national saving. This carefully worded officials' commentary implies not, or not much. more

Pensions at a Glance Special Edition: Asia/Pacific
International comparisons of pensions - public or private - are fraught with difficulties. The OECD has published a first Pensions at a Glance for the Asia/Pacific region. Necessary constraints in the comparison affect the robustness of the results. more

2009 Ageing Report: economic and budgetary projections for the EU-27 Member States (2008-2060)
The European Commission reports on the economic impact of ageing populations over the next 50 years - low birth rates, longer lives mean higher pension costs. There could be another 59 million immigrants but the median age will still increase from 40 to 48. The news is not new; the recommendations unsurprising. more

Old-Age Income Support in the 21st Century - the World Bank's Perspective
The World Bank's pension specialists have re-visited the Bank's 1994 "three pillar" model and come up with five pillars. There are some obvious and curious gaps more

How does the New Zealand retirement savings environment rank? or, Is KiwiSaver a world leader?
New Zealand's KiwiSaver is the world's first national, auto-enrolment, retirement savings scheme (starting 2007). The UK also proposes such a scheme - similar but different. Which is likely to be more successful? Does either country need one at all? more