Lessons for Asian Countries from Pension Reforms in Chile

Chile's 1981 reform revolutionized pension design and created a system that was lauded and emulated widely. The main feature of the system was the creation of state-mandated, privately managed individual pension capitalization accounts based on contributions of employees. After nearly three decades of experience, there is a reassessment of the extent to which the pension system has achieved its objectives, particularly with respect to coverage and adequacy. In March 2006, the newly elected President Bachelet set up a Presidential Advisory Council on Pension Reform under the chairmanship of Mario Marcel to evaluate the existing pension system. This paper examines the rationale and the nature of the recommendations made by the Council. The analysis focuses on the structure of the proposed new pension system and risk-sharing implications of different pillars of the system, the accessibility of the existing pension system in terms of coverage, particularly for women and self-employed persons, the impact of reform on transaction costs; investment policies and management and their implications for rates of return and financial market development. The implications of the new system on pension design and policy debate in Asian countries are addressed. The paper suggests that must imbibe lessons from countries such as Chile and urgently undertake the task of constructing sustainable, robust and adequate pension systems and social safety nets.Chile, Asia, Pension Reform

The pension system in Singapore

Singapore is an affluent city state which finances its social security system through a mandatory, publicly managed, defined contribution system based on individual accounts. The main vehicle embodying this is the Central Provident Fund (CPF). There are two other pension systems operating in Singapore: 1) Non-contributory pension scheme for the government employees; and 2) provident fund scheme for the certain categories of armed forces personnel called the Savings and Employees Scheme. The report makes a thorough assessment of the CPF. Then it is followed by a discussion of reform options which could help provide adequate level of retirement protection to the population in a sustainable manner while maintaining Singapore's international competitiveness for attracting requisite investments, and professional and technical manpower.Environmental Economics&Policies,Economic Theory&Research,Banks&Banking Reform,Public Sector Economics,Health Monitoring&Evaluation

Market Structure and Challenges for Annuities in India

India will need to develop a robust annuity market if it is to enable its rapidly aging population to address longevity risk. As the fraction aged triples by 2050, driving a huge potential demand for annuity-type products that will need to be matched by responses from annuity providers. Developing a deeper and broader market for annuities will require disaggregated morbidity and mortality databases for better price discovery; supply of financial instruments enabling better matching of assets and long-term liabilities; innovations in annuity products and distribution channels; greater financial literacy, and more robust regulation