12 januari 2022
IIFA publiceert internationaal pensioenrapport: ‘Better Pensions, Better Lives’
Eind 2021 publiceerde de International Investment Funds Association (IIFA) samen met EFAMA, de Europese belangenbehartiger voor assetmanagers, het internationale pensioenrapport: Better Pensions, Better Lives: How investment funds can help individuals saving for retirement and reduce the fiscal pressures on governments. Het rapport belicht de positieve rol die beleggingsfondsen, maar ook de vermogensbeheersector als geheel, kunnen spelen om mensen te helpen bij het opbouwen van vermogen voor later en een wereld van kapitaalgedekte pensioenen te ondersteunen.
Key findings
EFAMA zette de belangrijkste resultaten en aanbevelingen uit het rapport voor je op een rijtje (in het Engels):
- Education is critical to promoting retirement security. Financial education around investment basics and the importance of saving for retirement is already taking place through a range of channels (e.g., schools, universities, governments, regulators, financial services firms) and formats (e.g., pamphlets, seminars, webinars, websites, interactive tools). Increasingly, governments, employers, plan sponsors, and financial services firms are employing technology to engage savers and tailor educational messages to individuals. Financial education efforts must be sustained and stepped up.
- Policymakers must ensure that incentives are in place. Targeted tax incentives encourage citizens to contribute to defined contribution (DC) schemes and personal pension plans. Plan design features, such as automatic enrolment and life-cycling default investment strategies, play a key role in attracting new retirement savers.
- Funds help pension savers build wealth. Investment funds offer professionally-managed, cost-effective, diversified investment solutions to help savers achieve their financial goals. By providing asset allocation and diversification across sectors, regions and asset classes, including access to alternative investments and ESG-focused strategies, funds can help savers to build stronger future retirement income.
- Funds are robustly governed. Strong levels of governance are incorporated into the regulated investment industry in jurisdictions across the world, protecting pension savers from theft and fraud. Investment industry professionals have recognised qualifications that facilitate expert investment management, and good operational management too. Across the world, the fund industry is highly-regulated, and funds are structured to comply with prescribed investment, operational and ethical rules.
- Funds are easy to access. Investment funds are readily available for investors to buy in nearly all countries. They have low minimum investment thresholds and their costs are constantly falling thanks to competition between fund managers and the sheer scale of the investment industry. Funds are simple for investors to buy and are transparent – giving investors regular updates on where their money is invested and how it is performing.
