The volatile global conditions of the last four years have culminated in a looming economic downturn, impacting defined contribution pension plan sponsors and members alike. On Oct. 3 at the Omni King Edward Hotel in Toronto, the 2024 DC Investment Forum highlighted the various tools and strategies that can help plan sponsors navigate turbulent economic waters […]
Rising food, energy and housing prices aren’t just pocketbook issues for consumers or election fodder for politicians, they’re also social risk factors, indicators of a country’s economic health and highly important to bond investors, said Reina Berlien, head of environmental, social and governance at Brandywine Global Investment Management. While ESG factors may not seem important […]
The rapid rise in the cost of living in 2022 and into 2023 underscored the need for target-date funds to not just protect against standard inflation, but inflation shocks as well. The problem that presents is the more inflation protection that’s added into a portfolio, the lower the returns, said Nick Nefouse, managing director, global […]
The rising cost of living in the post-pandemic era has impacted all aspects of employees’ financial wellness, including retirement savings. In 2023, Hofmann-La Roche Ltd. examined the savings needs of its multigenerational workforce and determined more flexibility was required to encourage employees to set aside retirement savings, said Rana Kassab (pictured right), the company’s director […]
A third (33 per cent) of North American workers say they’re financially worse off than a year ago and have financial issues that are negatively impacting their lives, according to a new survey by WTW. The global survey, which polled 45,000 employees working for medium- and large-sized private sector organizations in 29 countries and territories, […]
Canadian health benefits plan members are increasingly feeling financially strained, according to the 2024 Benefits Canada Healthcare Survey — a finding that experts say should be a call to action to employers to include more financial wellness supports in benefits plans. Personal finances has remained plan members’ top stressor for the past two years, with […]
An article on International Business Machines Corp.’s latest pension risk transfer was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. IBM transferring US$6 billion in pension liabilities via group annuity buyout 2. How employers can encourage employees to take guilt-free sick days […]
From 2016 to 2024, fewer plan members are confident they’ve saved enough for retirement. Indeed, Benefits Canada’s 2024 CAP Member Survey found plan members’ optimism that their retirement is on track declined to 56 per cent from 63 per cent in 2022, while three-quarters (73 per cent) said they’re worried they won’t have enough saved […]
Argentina’s Senate defied President Javier Milei to push through an increase to pension spending that would cost at least 0.4 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product, dealing a blow to his tough austerity program. The bill, which already swept through the lower house in June, passed the Senate in a 61-8 vote. All […]
Working grandparents who are providing financial support to children and/or grandchildren are risking their own plans for retirement, says Craig Bannon, director of financial planning centre of expertise at the Royal Bank of Canada. “[They might need to] delay their retirement to extend their earning years or continue to work on a part-time basis in […]