Private Pensions and the Financial Crisis: How to Ensure Adequate Retirement Income from DC Pension Plans

The current economic and financial crisis has shaken confidence in funded pension systems in general and in defined contribution (DC) pension plans in particular. The crisis has highlighted the impact of market conditions on retirement savings accumulated in DC pension plans and the uncertainty as to whether those retirement savings may prove adequate to finance retirement – particularly for those close to retirement. The purpose of

Working Paper 40: Pension Funds’ Risk-management Framework: Regulation and Supervisory Oversight

Drawing on the experience of the pensions and other financial sectors, this paper examines what sort of risk-management framework pension funds should have in place. Such frameworks are broken down into four main categories: management oversight and culture; strategy and risk assessment; control systems; and information and reporting. Ways in which supervisory authorities can check that such systems are operating are also considered,

The financial industry and challenges related to post-crises exit strategies

Financial markets have recovered substantially but vulnerabilities remain significant. Ample liquidity may lead to new bubbles, particularly in some emerging markets, and uncertainties about governments’ exit strategies and regulatory changes weigh on a fledgling upswing. Co-ordination and communication of exit policies will be important, and exit from policy stimulus should not be precipitated at the current juncture. While financial

OECD supports the Spanish government’s pension reform proposal

The Spanish government announced on Friday, 29 January, its intention of postponing the retirement age from 65 to 67 and to increase the number of contribution years used to calculate pension benefits. The OECD believes that these measures are important steps in the right direction and would bring Spain closer in line with other OECD countries who have already reformed their pension systems.

Also Available

• La OCDE apoya la reciente propuesta gubernamental para reformar el sistema de pensiones
• La OCDE apoya la reciente propuesta gubernamental para reformar el sistema de pensiones

La OCDE apoya la reciente propuesta gubernamental para reformar el sistema de pensiones

El gobierno español anunció el viernes pasado su intención de elevar la edad oficial de jubilación de 65 a 67 años, y de aumentar el numero de años necesario para calcular la pensión. La OCDE considera muy positivas dichas medidas.

Also Available

• OECD supports the Spanish government’s pension reform proposal
• OECD supports the Spanish government’s pension reform proposal

IOPS Principles of Private Pension Supervision

The IOPS Principles for Pension Supervision are designed to cover occupational and personal pension plans and pension funds.

Avoiding a new financial crisis

Adrian Blundell-Wignall talks about the impact of US proposals for banking reform and how they can help avoid a new financial crisis.

Obama plan for banks can help to avoid a new financial crisis

U.S. President Barack Obama’s plan to separate core commercial banking from some higher-risk activities in financial conglomerates and to place a moratorium on further consolidation could help to avoid a new financial crisis by resolving some major risks inherent to the current financial system.

The Elephant in the Room: The Need to Deal with What Banks Do

Contagion risk and counterparty failure have been the main hallmarks of the current crisis. While some large diversified banks that focused mainly on commercial banking survived very well, others suffered crippling losses. Sound corporate governance and strong risk-management culture should enable banks to avoid excessive leverage and risk taking. The question is whether there is a better way, via leverage rules or rules on the

Regulatory Issues related to Financial Innovation

This note explores various regulatory issues related to financial innovation. It starts from a premise that financial innovations are neither always helpful (or benign) nor always threatening. Innovations have the potential to provide for a more efficient allocation of resources and thereby a higher level of capital productivity and economic growth. Many financial innovations have had this effect. But others have not. Examples of the