Financial security in old age is a global concern, and pension systems are an important tool to address this concern. In Colombia, we have instituted a pension reform and this will be a central issue in the coming weeks.
In this article we compare different pension systems in the world for a global view and an input that will serve us for the upcoming discussion.
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United States Pension System
The pension system in the United States, also known as Social Security, is a federal program that provides retirement, disability, and survivor benefits to eligible individuals, which is funded through employment taxes and the benefit is the individual’s are based on earnings history and age. Whose benefits start getting.
A key feature of Social Security is that it provides a guaranteed source of income for retirees, which can help supplement other sources of retirement income, such as personal savings or employer-sponsored retirement plans.
However, the amount of benefits provided may not be sufficient to cover all of a person’s retirement needs, especially if they have not worked for a significant portion of their career or have a low income.
In addition to Social Security, many employers offer private pension plans, such as defined benefit plans or defined contribution plans. Defined benefit plans provide a guaranteed income stream during retirement, while defined contribution plans allow individuals to contribute a portion of their earnings to a retirement account that is invested in the stock market.
One of the challenges facing the US pension system is the problem of underfunded pension plans. Many defined benefit plans, especially those in the public sector, face significant funding shortfalls, which could result in reduced benefits for retirees or increased costs to taxpayers.
Also, many people are not saving enough for retirement, which can lead to increased reliance on Social Security or other forms of public assistance.
To address these challenges, lawmakers have proposed a number of reforms, including raising the retirement age, reducing benefits for higher earners, and expanding access to retirement savings options for lower-income workers. These reforms could help ensure the long-term stability of the US pension system and provide greater financial security for retirees.
Denmark State Pension
Denmark has a compulsory pension scheme which includes both public and private components. The Danish public pension system, known as the Basic State Pension, provides a basic level of retirement income to all Danish citizens.
The pension is financed through taxes and is available to anyone who has reached the age of 67 and has been a resident of Denmark for at least 3 years. The amount of the pension is determined by the number of years a person has lived in Denmark. The maximum amount of the basic state pension is DKK 6,111 (about €820) per month.
In addition to the basic state pension, Denmark has a compulsory occupational pension scheme. The scheme is funded by both the employer and the employee and administered by private pension companies. The amount of the pension is based on the salary of the employee and the number of years he has contributed to the plan.
The Nordic country also has a voluntary pension scheme known as the Individual Pension Savings Scheme (IPS), which is a tax-advantaged savings scheme that allows people to save for retirement.
Contributions made to IPS are tax deductible and investment returns are tax free. The scheme is administered by private pension companies, and the pension amount is determined on the basis of contributions made and return on investment.
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Argentina Pension System
The pension system in Argentina is administered by the National Social Security Administration (ANSES) and provides retirement, disability and survivorship benefits to eligible individuals. The system is financed through payroll taxes and contributions from employers and employees.
A key feature of the Argentine pension system is that it provides a universal pension for older adults who do not have access to contributory pensions. The universal pension for the elderly is available to people over the age of 65 who meet certain income and residency requirements, helping to meet their basic needs and reduce poverty among this population .
The Argentine pension system consists of a contributory pension system, which provides retirement benefits to those who have contributed to the system through their employment, including both defined benefit plans and defined contribution plans.
Defined benefit plans provide a guaranteed income stream during retirement, while defined contribution plans allow individuals to contribute a portion of their earnings to a retirement account that is invested in the stock market.
In recent years, the system has faced difficulties such as lack of funding and concerns about the stability of the system. To address these challenges, the government has implemented a number of reforms, including raising the retirement age, reducing benefits for higher income earners and expanding access to retirement savings options.
One of the main challenges facing the pension system is the issue of labor informality, which can make it difficult for people to accumulate enough contributions to receive contributory pension. To address the problem, the government has implemented programs to promote formal employment and increase social security coverage for informal workers.
Mexican pension system
The pension system in Mexico is made up of seven federal institutions as well as several sub-systems created by states, municipalities and universities. The system has different rules and requirements, which generate unequal benefits for the population. The institutional complexity of the Mexican pension system poses challenges to maintaining its financial stability.
Government spending on pensions has increased substantially in recent years, and is expected to continue to rise as the population ages. This has raised concerns about the long-term stability of the system as well as the need for policy reforms to guarantee its financial stability.
Currently, the retirement age is set at 60 for men and 55 for women. Some proposals seek to raise the retirement age, as this would help ease the financial burden on the system by allowing people to work longer and contribute to the system. Another proposed reform is to increase the coverage of the contributory pension system, which currently covers only a small percentage of the population.
The Mexican government has implemented non-contributory pension plans, such as the Universal Pension for Older Adults, which provides a basic income to people over 65 who do not have access to contributory pensions. While these schemes have helped reduce poverty among the elderly population, they also put a strain on government finances.
