A new paper is evaluating how global retirement systems are faring in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and what reforms will be required to facilitate the retirements of future generations. The paper, ‘Building better retirement systems in the wake of the global pandemic,’ by Olivia Mitchell, a professor and executive director of the pension research council […]
With many Canadians dealing with financial stress, employers are uniquely positioned to help, but their financial wellness programs must go beyond just literacy. “[Everyone] has heard the term financial literacy, but as we know, it’s not enough,” said Saijal Patel, founder and chief executive officer of Saij Wealth Consulting Inc., during a Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute webinar earlier […]
Defined contribution pension plan sponsors may face workforce planning challenges coming out of the coronavirus pandemic as older plan members whose account balances were hard hit by this year’s market volatility delay their retirements. “We saw a lot of presenteeism coming out of the [global financial crisis] — are we going to see that again?” asks […]
Alongside a struggling global economy, Canadian capital accumulation plan sponsors and members are facing unprecedented challenges. This year, Benefits Canada‘s annual CAP Member Survey fielded its questions between March 30 and April 1, reaching respondents as they were in the midst of coming to grips with the effects of the global coronavirus pandemic. As in […]
As the world changes, so do the workforce and workplaces of today, demanding a new approach to how the industry is helping defined contribution plan members save for retirement. During a session at Benefits Canada‘s 2020 DC Plan Summit in Montreal in February, Maria-José Perea, vice-president, business solutions and marketing for group retirement savings at […]
Wrapping up the 2020 DC Plan Summit with his customary flair, Zaheed Jiwani, principal and leader of the DC consulting group at Eckler Ltd., highlighted the pervasive themes through a selection of songs. With Joe Cocker’s “With a Little Help from My Friends,” he noted how the plan sponsor case studies shared real-life examples of […]
While fewer than half (42 per cent) of U.S. employers are currently offering financial wellness programs, that number is set to almost double to 80 per cent by 2023, according to a survey by the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. The survey, which questioned nearly 900 U.S. employers, found 90 per cent of respondents said their primary reason for […]
Once again, we’re experiencing volatile markets. During these times, it’s common to hear the following statements: It isn’t time to panic. This has happened before. Make sure the pension plan’s asset mix is correct. While these messages may be good advice for individual investors, defined contribution plan sponsors should be considering how to help their employees. Here are […]
Canadian defined contribution plans offer a range of investment choices, from a single balanced fund, in some cases, to more than 25 options. Douglas Anderson, corporate services officer at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario: As a member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario’s pension committee, I believe in offering […]
Financial well-being benefits are on the rise in North America, according to a new survey by WorldatWork. Among the companies surveyed, 70 per cent said they currently offer financial well-being benefits, more than half said they intend to expand these benefits and 35 per cent said they’ve increased spending in this area. “Financial benefits play a critical […]