An article on how flexible retirement savings plans can help employees retire early 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. Flexible savings plans, employer matching allowing employees to retire earlier than planned: survey 2. Are Canadian […]
While there’s more work to be done, election campaign promises made by Canada’s major federal political parties that address retirement challenges are a step in the right direction, says John McLaren, a group benefits and retirement consultant with Jones DesLauriers. Earlier this month, Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Pollievre pledged to allow working seniors […]
Almost half (46 per cent) of multinational companies say they’re prioritizing the use of employee-facing technology to support benefits management, including the use of artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies to improve benefits navigation and decision-making, according to a new survey by WTW. The survey, which polled more than 260 employers, found more than half […]
U.S. workers believe they’ll need an average of US$1.26 million in savings to retire comfortably, $200,000 less than the $1.46 million reported last year and nearly flat with 2022 and 2023 estimates, according to a new survey by Northwestern Mutual. The survey, which polled more than 4,600 workers, found among employees who have retirement savings, […]
Flexible retirement savings plans and employer matching can potentially provide lower-income workers with earlier retirement options despite the rising cost of living, according to a new report by Mercer. The report analyzed two scenarios for workers earning $50,000 with workplace retirement plans that include employer matching. Read: Employer matching key to supporting young workers’ retirement […]
More than half of U.S. pension plan sponsors say economic conditions like interest rate and market volatility (58 per cent) as well as demographic changes (57 per cent) are the market forces most likely to influence the evolution of employer-sponsored retirement plans, according to a new survey by MetLife Inc. The survey, which polled more […]
The union representing roughly 500 employees at General Dynamics Land Systems Canada in London, Ont. has ratified a new three-year contract that includes pension and benefits gains. The agreement provides increased employer contributions to the defined benefit pension plan, including an additional $1 for production employees and an additional $1.20 for skilled trades workers in […]
The use of automatic features in U.S. defined contribution pension plans is supporting employee financial well-being and retirement readiness, according to a new report by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. It found when a typical DC plan sponsor adopted auto-enrolment with a six per cent default contribution, the retirement savings shortfall among plan members decreased […]
Benefits Canada celebrated the Defined Contribution Plan Summit’s 25th anniversary by looking at how the world has changed over the last quarter century, the subsequent impact on the pension sector and what’s next for DC pensions. On Feb. 26-28 in Montreal, the 2025 DC Plan Summit highlighted the lessons of the last several decades, putting […]
With climate change affecting the planet and artificial intelligence disrupting the concept of work, a profound generational shift is underway in how young people are thinking about their futures. “When previous generations worried about retirement, they mainly focused on financial risk, market turndown, inflation and health-care costs,” said Kelly Peters (pictured left), behavioural economics leader […]