For its second annual Pension Awareness Day on Feb. 15, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario is holding information sessions for its employees to learn more about their pension plan. Even people who actually have an employer-sponsored pension plan aren’t aware of the value of those benefits, says Andrew Fung, executive vice-president of pensions […]
The Quebec government’s removal of the maximum annual amount that can be paid to people aged 55 and older with a variable benefit account tied to a defined contribution pension plan or with a life income fund is part of a broader push to provide retirees with more flexibility to draw on their locked-in retirement savings […]
Since decreased cognition can impact retirees’ ability to make sound decisions, the Canadian Union of Public Employees urges its members to discuss financial matters with their families long before exiting the workforce. “If we wait until we’re in distress, we either make very bad decisions or we don’t make any decisions at all, which can […]
In the coming year, the Association of Canadian Pension Management is looking forward to the possibility of participating in final consultations on policies and legislation determining variable payment life annuities, says Todd Saulnier, a principal at Mercer and president of the ACPM board. The 2023 federal budget proposed amendments to the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985 […]
The Pension Investments Association of Canada is calling on the British Columbia government to refrain from setting limits on the type of entities that can offer variable life benefits. In an open letter, the association said a competitive landscape that includes a broad scope of service providers, including registered pension plans, would be beneficial for retirees, noting […]
More than two-fifths (45 per cent) of U.S. defined contribution pension plan sponsors say they’re considering implementing emergency savings features, according to a survey from MFS Investment Management. The survey, which polled 1,000 DC plan members and more than 140 plan sponsors, found nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of plan sponsors said they’d take […]
An article on how the federal government should ensure its new Canadian Dental Care Plan doesn’t displace existing employer-sponsored dental coverage was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the past week: 1. Tax credit could ensure national dental-care plan doesn’t displace employer-sponsored coverage: expert […]
While it’s impossible to predict exactly how pension case law will evolve in future, one can offer an educated guess at some legislative developments and other issues that may confront pension plan sponsors and administrators in the coming year. Risk management Plan sponsors can expect a continued focus on risk management as a key part […]
3M will freeze its U.S. defined benefit pension plans for non-union U.S. employees, effective Dec. 31, 2028, and move plan members to a 401(k) plan structure. Eligible employees will continue to accrue benefits under the pension plans until the freeze date, according to a press release, which noted this decision applies to both 3M and 3M Health Care. Former […]
With the arrival of the new year, there are three topics that will be important for pension plan sponsors, members and other industry stakeholders in 2024. The economy and financial markets At the end of 2023, the Canadian economy and the financial markets were still feeling the after-effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Read: Expert panel: […]