OECD Pensions Outlook 2026

Today, asset-backed pension systems play a key role in supporting people’s retirement. The eighth edition of the OECD Pensions Outlook analyses how pension assets increased in 2025 and their long-term growth since 2000, focussing on how contributions, investment income and pension payments affect their growth. To assess whether individuals are contributing enough to achieve their retirement income objectives, the Outlook examines whether individuals need to save more voluntarily to complement their mandatory pensions. It analyses how pension and insurance investors incorporate risks to the sustainability of their investment portfolios to ensure returns on investment. The report also discusses the benefits and potential downsides of financial advice for individuals’ retirement income decisions about how much to contribute and how to invest. Finally, the report explores how the taxation of inherited pensions affects individuals’ use of asset-backed pension plans to improve their retirement income.