The number of U.K. company pension schemes entering into longevity swaps and bulk-annuity deals in 2016 is expected to increase due to schemes recognizing the importance of managing the longevity risk in their portfolio, according to a new report. Willis Towers Watson’s 2016 De-risking Report found that 2015 saw in excess of £10 billion of liabilities transferred […]
Many employers that sponsor DB pension plans are considering reducing the risk in their plans. An approach to reduce risk that is gaining popularity is to purchase a group annuity in respect of all or a portion of a pension plan’s retiree (and in some cases deferred vested) obligations.
Nine in 10 (89 per cent) U.S. defined benefit pension plan sponsors say they’re expecting to completely divest their plan liabilities in roughly four years, according to a new survey by MetLife Inc. The survey, which polled 250 DB plan sponsors, found nearly all (94 per cent) said the financial impacts of volatility and related risks […]
The median solvency ratio of defined benefit pension plans in Canada increased during the third quarter of 2023, according to separate reports from Mercer and Aon. Mercer’s report showed median solvency ratio rose from 119 per cent at June 30 to 125 per cent at Sept. 30, according to Mercer’s latest pension health pulse. The report, […]
Large and small, pension plan sponsors are adopting in-house tools, partnering with technology research institutes or relying on investment managers for technological support with asset allocation, risk management and other aspects of investment management. The growing interest coincides with an increasingly complex investment, demographic and regulatory landscape. A 2020 Deloitte report on the importance of […]
The value of a typical Canadian defined benefit pension plan’s assets declined in June, according to LifeWorks Inc.’s latest monthly report. An investment portfolio designed to mimic typical Canadian DB portfolios saw its assets decline by 5.4 per cent over the month. The benchmark portfolio is composed of 50 per cent equities and 50 per […]
More than 50 workers are on strike at Timberland Equipment Ltd. in Woodstock, Ont., after the company and the union failed to reach an agreement regarding pension plans. According to a press release from the United Steelworkers, most workers are long-time employees who have a defined benefit pension plan, while a smaller group of more […]
An article on Stelco Inc.’s $1.3 billion annuity buy-in for one of its defined benefit pension plans was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com over the last week. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. Stelco entering $1.3BN annuity buy-in for DB pension 2. KPMG allowing employees to work remotely from another province, country […]
With October inflation hitting an 18-year high, inflation risk is back on the radar of plan sponsors providing inflation-linked defined benefit pensions. In the past, it’s been challenging to hedge inflation risk. Fortunately, more efficient solutions have emerged over the last several years. What is inflation risk? For a plan that provides inflation-linked benefits, inflation […]
The Halifax Port ILA/HEA found a way to provide its defined contribution pension plan members with a defined benefit upon retirement — and it’s been doing so successfully for 35 years. As a private sector multi-employer plan, the pension has about 450 active members, 300 retirees and about $210 million in assets. The DB plan […]