OECD-EC pilot project on saving for retirement and the role of private pensions in retirement readiness

Are people saving enough for retirement? Are private pensions fulfilling their complementary role in providing for retirement? Should policymakers introduce measures to increase retirement savings or to postpone retirement? Should these measures be targeted to specific population subgroups?

These are some of the policy questions that require urgent answers to make sure that adequate policies are implemented to improve future retirees’ savings and thus their retirement well-being.

Launched in January 2012, this project will investigate whether people are saving enough for retirement and examine the role that private pensions can play in the retirement readiness of the working age population. In a first phase, the study will assess how much individuals have to finance retirement, focusing on the role of private savings. This means examining how much individuals have to finance retirement by combining all possible sources of retirement income and savings (i.e., public pensions, occupational, private pensions, and other savings such as private savings and housing). In a later phase, retirement income will be compared with a suitable reference point.

Due for completion in December 2013, Germany and the United States will serve as pilot countries for the study and 9 other countries will follow: Australia, Canada, Chile, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Mexico, Spain and the United Kingdom.

> Project description (pdf)

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