In individual account pension systems, members bear the risks and consequences of their investment decisions. If participants behave as predicted by economic theory, such responsibility would be welfare-enhancing as members would invest and hold a portfolio of financial assets with a risk-return...

Several countries around the globe have established mandatory pension systems based on personal savings accounts. In contrast to the pay-as-you-go (PAYG) financed pensions that these new systems have partly replaced, retirement benefits are the outcome of an investment process. As a result, the...

The role of private pensions in the provision of retirement income has grown significantly in the past two decades, reflecting efforts by many countries to trim down unsustainable pay-as-you-go benefits. The role of private provision of retirement income is visible in countries with mature...

This report presents an initial assessment of the financial performance of privately managed pension funds, both mandatory and voluntary, in Latin America and Central and Eastern Europe, as well as selected OECD countries. It provides a comparative description of private pension funds in the 23...

This paper focuses on the fees that are charged to participants in mandatory, defined contribution pension systems, focusing on the experience of Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, Australia, and Sweden. In order to compare fees across countries, this paper looks at the evolution of a...

In this article, we determine a charge on balance that is equivalent to a certain fixed charge on flow for a particular utility-maximizer affiliate participating in a defined-contribution pension fund under the system of individual accounts. We also prove, under market completeness, that the...

The current financial and economic crisis has highlighted the importance of investment risk for pension systems. In particular, the dramatic spread of defined-contribution pension provision around the world means that investment risk has a direct effect on living standards in old age. This paper...

In this article, we determine a charge on balance that is equivalent to a certain fixed charge on flow for a particular utility–maximizer affiliate participating in a defined-contribution pension fund under the system of individual accounts. We also prove, under market completeness, that the...

This paper suggests avenues for strengthening the governance and management of the Japanese Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF), the largest single pool of pension assets in the world. The GPIF earned its name in 2006 as part of a major governance reform that aimed at increasing the...

This paper provides a review of the Swedish National Pension Funds based on international good practice and OECD guidelines. The paper focuses mainly on the general size and structure of the funds, the investment framework and the governance of the funds. The internal management of the funds...