Articles 1 to 8 of 8
Warding off longevity risks: Ensuring sustainable income for retirement
Greying populations are no longer a challenge reserved just for developed economies. The “silver tsunami” is starting to make its way towards developing nations too. But are governments, insurance companies, banks and individuals preparing themselves sufficiently? Buying annuities is one means to which people can plan for their retirement needs. Yet, take-up rates remain low. As the "tsunami" approaches, should regulators take forceful action to kick start the take-up of such instruments to prepare their economies for the impending economic mayhem?
Longevity the Ultimate Risk for Ageing Populations, says John Piggott
The proportion of elderly people in the population is increasing with Japan leading the field globally. The long-run effect is to put an increased burden on the young to support them. John Piggott, research dean at the Australian School of Business, University of New South Wales, spoke on longevity as the ultimate risk in the 21st Century at a seminar organised by the Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics at the Singapore Management University at the end of last year.
Retirement Planning: Most People Don’t Know How Nor Even Think About It
Worldwide, individuals are being asked to make more of their own savings and investment decisions, especially for retirement. In the US and Europe, for example, company-managed pension plans are giving way to those where employees are in charge of their own retirement money. In Singapore too, the government is encouraging individuals to take a more active role in their own retirement planning. Research by Wharton insurance and risk management professor Olivia Mitchell and Singapore Management University finance professor Benedict Koh shows, however, that people are not well-equipped to handle such investment decisions.
Singapore’s CPF Retirement Scheme: Delivering More Bang for the Buck
Singapore’s Central Provident Fund (CPF) is one of Asia’s oldest and best known defined contribution retirement schemes. As the country rapidly ages, government policymakers are paying close attention to whether its citizens and residents are saving enough for retirement. Benedict Koh, Olivia Mitchell and associates recently prepared two working papers which examine the CPF Investment Scheme (CPFIS) as well as its potential to adequately support members in retirement.
Managing Retirement Risk in an Ageing World: The Global Picture
According to HSBC’s 2007 global retirement study, most retirees in their 60s and 70s are living healthy, happy and productive lives. However, as the world rapidly ages, most pre-retirees are surprisingly unconcerned about how they will cope in their retirement. In Part 1 of a 2-part article, Olivia Mitchell, Wharton professor of insurance and risk management, who is also a chaired professor at Singapore Management University, cautions that these people might be living with a false sense of security, and could face a rude awakening when it is too late to do anything about it.
Insurance: Indian and Foreign Firms Test Positive for Growth Steroid
The new crop of private and foreign players in India's de-nationalized insurance industry is achieving growth rates in market shares that are bigger than its ambitious estimates. Insurance penetration -- both life and non-life -- has taken off vertically with a proliferation of products, and the former state-owned monopolies are pulling out the best in their armory. India Knowledge@Wharton spoke to some of the key players, industry regulators and consulting houses to capture a ringside view of one of the biggest slugfests these days in the emerging economies.
How Can Employers Improve Defined Contribution Plans?
If 401(k)s and similar plans are the main way Americans invest for retirement, how can employers improve them? By making enrollment automatic, minimizing the use of the employer's stock, expanding the role of annuities and improving employees' financial knowledge, according to a set of recommendations issued by the Financial Economists Roundtable, a group of about 50 prominent economists, including several Wharton faculty members.
Older Workers: Untapped Assets for Creating Value
The days when an executive could look forward to a leisurely retirement out on the golf course are over, thanks to a possible looming job shortage, a graying population, low savings rates and an insecure Social Security system. The impact of these factors on both workers and companies was the subject of the Symposium on Older Workers, co-sponsored recently by the AARP Global Aging Program along with Wharton's Center for Human Resources and Boettner Center for Pensions and Retirement Research. Speakers included AARP CEO William D. Novelli, Olivia Mitchell, executive director of Wharton's Pension Research Council, and Thomas Dowd, a deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Labor.
