Provides the latest RSS feeds for Seniors News. For more headlines on Breaking, National, Business, Finance, Sports and World News, visit our home page Seattle Bulletin.com http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/cat/e974f944f2e7496e/ en-us Sun, 26 May 2013 00:18:44 -0400 Sun, 26 May 2013 00:18:44 -0400 30 Heart failure accelerates the aging process and brings on early andropausal syndrome (AS), a new study has found. According to the research presented at the Heart Failure Congress 2013, AS, also referred to as male "menopause", was four times more common in men with heart failure. As men get older they are more likely to suffer from andropausal syndrome (AS), also called "menopause", androgen ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214753724/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 01:40:01 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214753724/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Commissioner Jonathan Thornhill said the office was no problem, but residents had called him questioning why Fultz would need a car.Deputy Mayor Christopher Lutton was the only commissioner to split his vote: He voted yes on the office and no on the car.However, the other three Lake Wales city commissioners were in favor of both.Fultz had recused himself from discussion and voting.Lutton said he ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214771813/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 23:25:55 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214771813/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The Great Recession saw unemployment rates double and a housing bust that proved far stronger and lasted much longer than anyone had expected. Through it all, retirement savings plans took a major ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214771265/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 22:29:14 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214771265/scat/e974f944f2e7496e SAN ANTONIO - Torrential rains swamped San Antonio with flash floods on Saturday, leaving at least one person dead as emergency workers in boats rushed to rescue more than 200 residents stranded in cars and homes. "It was pretty crazy," said Gera Hinojosa, a valet parking cars downtown after the storm. "It was pretty unexpected. We hardly got any warning about it." For one ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214771188/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 22:08:17 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214771188/scat/e974f944f2e7496e That tyrant, of course, is Fidel Castro, although Cristina Garcia's new novel, "King of Cuba" (Scribner, $26), never calls him by name. He is El Comandante, El Lider, El Jefe, El Caballo (that last a nickname he now finds embarrassing) or, most often, simply the tyrant. And Goyo's first reason for continuing to live is to kill the tyrant, even if it's the last thing he ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214770310/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 21:31:39 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214770310/scat/e974f944f2e7496e It turns out that Harrisburg has dug us into a $50 billion hole. In 2000, Pennsylvania pensions were fully funded. You might recall that the stock market was doing pretty well back then. Instead of making hay while the sun was shining, our politicians opted to give away the farm. Working with the assumption that the stock market would go up forever, legislators increased state worker pension ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214770689/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 21:09:32 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214770689/scat/e974f944f2e7496e PALO ALTO (CBS SF) — Palo Alto police are searching for an elderly woman with Alzheimer’s diseases who walked away from her assisted living facility Saturday morning. Naomi Brown left Lytton Gardens on the 600 block of University Avenue around 10:45 a.m., according to ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214770280/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 21:03:43 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214770280/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Jupp Heynckes has hinted he may continue coaching elsewhere after guiding Bayern Munich to UEFA Champions League glory.The 68-year-old will be replaced at the Bayern helm by Pep Guardiola next season and was widely expected to bring an end to his distinguished managerial career. However, following the 2-1 win over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley on Saturday, the veteran coach indicated his time may ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214769561/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 19:50:26 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214769561/scat/e974f944f2e7496e just $14m in revenues last year .)It's possible, of course, that Mayer knows what she's doing. A more plausible hypothesis, however, is that she's following an established strategic playbook. Technology companies start out being innovative. But as they grow they become like every other industrial corporation in one important respect: they find it increasingly difficult to innovate. ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214765070/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 19:29:22 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214765070/scat/e974f944f2e7496e some high pro file accidents lately involving both have raised some worrisome questions about the state of this country's rails and highways. the latest happened ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214764796/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 19:22:13 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214764796/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Google Big Tent event last week, Miliband junior again worked the professor, or "Dad", into the beginning and finale of an address about responsible capitalism, presumably in the hope that a really effective invocation of this paragon might persuade Eric Schmidt to pay more tax. Dad, as many of us now know, was in the navy. "He used to talk about those days in the navy, where ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214764832/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 19:14:33 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214764832/scat/e974f944f2e7496e LONDON ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214768871/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 18:44:59 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214768871/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Just off the kitchen, a large mud room, equipped with a sink for washing off dirty paws and footwear, is also plumbed to facilitate main floor laundry if they want it one day.The couple enlisted Effect Home Builders to install geothermal heating and the company's signature, thickly insulated walls, with the dual benefits of energy efficiency and noise dampening.A simple oak-and-white spindle ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214763568/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 16:31:13 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214763568/scat/e974f944f2e7496e A pair of Wetaskiwin-area seniors remain in an Edmonton hospital after a home intruder assaulted and robbed them at their rural home earlier this week.Marion and Dawne Gilchrist are recovering at the University Hospital from the Tuesday attack at their rural farm.John Gilchrist, a Herald columnist who reviews restaurants, said his parents were expecting his brother over for dinner when they heard ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214762575/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 14:19:34 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214762575/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The 89-year-old Seminole County woman who was mauled by a dog Thursday spoke to reporters today from her hospital room about the horrific attack.Kira — a 3-year-old pit bull mix — attacked Babbet Meitzler at about 10 a.m. Thursday near the 400 block of 1st Street in Geneva, according to Seminole County Animal Services.The dog is facing euthanasia since she was already listed as a ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214762132/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 13:26:52 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214762132/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Hedge fund manager Steven A. Cohen, founder and chairman of SAC Capital Advisors, listens to a question during a one-on-one interview session at the SkyBridge Alternatives (SALT) Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada May 11, ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214761296/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 12:23:09 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214761296/scat/e974f944f2e7496e One part of President Barack Obama's speech Thursday at the National Defense University hasn't gotten quite the attention it deserves: His ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214760857/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 11:45:29 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214760857/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Haynes Johnson has died in Bethesda, Md., of a heart attack, his wife said. He was 81. The former Washington Post journalist, who won acclaim for his coverage of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, died Friday at Suburban Hospital, his wife, District of Columbia Court of Appeals Judge Kathryn Oberly, said. Johnson began his career as a journalist ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214761206/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 11:14:54 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214761206/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Rioting spread beyond the Swedish capital Stockholm, with youths torching vehicles and buildings on the sixth straight night of street violence, officials said. Specially trained police from Gothenburg and Malmo backed up local officers in Stockholm, the BBC reported Saturday. The disturbances began Sunday in Stockholm, but spread Friday to Orebro, where about 25 masked youths set fire to three ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214760911/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 11:14:53 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214760911/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Glasgow Provan and Glasgow Baillieston for 18 years. He stepped down in 2005 after a spell of ill health. He is survived by his four children.Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont said: "I remember Jimmy fondly for his personal kindness and generosity but most of all for his love of the Labour party, which he served with distinction for a great many years. Even after he stepped down as an MP, ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214760333/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 10:24:47 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214760333/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Standard Chartered Bank is eagerly awaiting the determination of a court case in which its former employees sued it demanding up to Sh14.6 billion in unpaid pension. The bank's acting chairperson, Anne Mutahi told the annual general meeting it is counting on the new judiciary to expedite the matter that has lasted four years. She was responding to shareholders' concerns that the bank ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214760363/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 10:18:26 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214760363/scat/e974f944f2e7496e OLDER people should reduce their risk of blindness by eating healthy food, says Australian of the Year Ita Buttrose. Marking the start of Macular Degeneration Awareness Week, she said the health of older Australians must be a priority for both the community and government. Macular degeneration causes more than half of blindness and severe vision loss in Australia and primarily affects older ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214760676/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 10:10:22 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214760676/scat/e974f944f2e7496e An elderly woman was thrown to the ground and bitten during a botched hijacking in Belfast. Two thugs set upon the woman at around 7am as she was trying to get into her car on the Antrim Road, in the north of the city.The men threw her to the ground as they attempted to steal her car, investigators said.During the ordeal, she struggled with the attackers and was bitten on her thumb before they ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214759762/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 09:43:36 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214759762/scat/e974f944f2e7496e (Reuters) - David Beckham was not included in Paris St Germain's squad for their final Ligue 1 game of the season at Lorient on Sunday as the former England captain headed into retirement. The 38-year-old midfielder had expected as much after his special send-off in Paris last weekend, saying he did not think he would play on the artificial pitch at the Brittany side because the surface ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214760160/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 09:05:51 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214760160/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Vitamins are nutrients that your body needs in small amounts to stay healthy. The amount you need depends on the vitamin. Because your body can only make limited amounts of vitamins for itself, the rest must come from ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214759119/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 08:46:17 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214759119/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Detroit's emergency financial manager Kevyn Orr talks to members of the media outside the Detroit Newspapers building about the report he delivered to the State of Michigan about Detroit's finances, in Detroit, Michigan May 13, ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214759064/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 08:20:26 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214759064/scat/e974f944f2e7496e rheumatoid arthritis , researchers at Johns Hopkins have found that in the most severe cases of the disease, the immune system makes a unique subset of antibodies that have a disease-promoting role. Reporting in the journal Science Translational Medicine online, the Johns Hopkins team describes how it found the novel antibodies to peptidylarginine deiminase 4, or PAD4, in blood samples from ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214758049/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 07:35:22 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214758049/scat/e974f944f2e7496e China's urban and rural pension insurance program covered 486 million people as of the end of April, an official with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security said Saturday.As many as 133 million elderly people are receiving monthly pensions, according to vice director of the ministry's rural pension department Liu Conglong.Over the past few years, the government has taken ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214757949/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 07:32:25 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214757949/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Realistically, it is unlikely that Europe will see the evolution of a pan-European pensions market within the next ten years, say leading pension experts in a survey by Allianz Global Investors AG (AllianzGI). With the vast majority of European pension schemes shifting towards defined contribution (DC), cost calculability has been at the forefront of these amendments, said AllianzGI. ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214757351/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 06:35:51 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214757351/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The average growth in wages in the Government and Education sectors has caused the board of Stichting Pensioenfonds ABP to adjust pensions in 2010. The board has currently set indexation at 0.45 per cent, and has also adjusted the premium for old age and dependants’ pension, making the 2010 basis for premium calculation, which is salary after deduction of the franchise, amount to ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756929/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 06:35:51 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756929/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Long-term savings provisions in Europe are flawed and are no longer able to meet the needs of ageing populations, finds the Janus Capital European Consumer Finance Survey. The study, which is the first of its kind into the European household balance sheet, shows that there are alarming deficits in levels of personal savings and retirement provision across Europe. While consumer hopes and ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214757312/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 06:35:48 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214757312/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Despite the first half of 2009 showing marked improvements on returns for pension schemes globally compared to the huge losses in 2008, structural challenges remain, reports the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). While investment returns and funding ratios in defined benefit (DB) plans across the globe have improved, with an average recovery of USD 1.5trn, this ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214757720/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 06:35:48 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214757720/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Romanian pension funds posted positive returns for the first eight months of 2009, with average results of 11.31 per cent in mandatory pension funds, and 10.73 per cent for voluntary pension funds. The Romanian Pension Funds’ Association (APAPR) has published data showing that the 12 mandatory pension funds (the second pillar) on its radar have returned 15.53 per cent for the last 12 ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214757721/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 06:35:44 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214757721/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The Committee of European Securities Regulators’ (CESR) proposal to compress the riskiness of an investment fund into a single number will cause investors to make inappropriate investment choices and suffer losses as a result, warns EM Applications. The investment risk solutions provider is concerned that CESR has essentially misunderstood what really is the relevant risk measure for ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756947/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 06:35:43 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756947/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Positive revaluation of investments and favourable price movements of financial assets have added €25bn in value to Dutch pension funds’ investment portfolios in the second quarter of 2009, according to De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB). The investment portfolios now stand at €560bn in value. Shares recorded the highest price gains, at €16bn, and revaluations of bonds and ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756926/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 06:35:43 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756926/scat/e974f944f2e7496e paper, in which its experts draw upon practical experience consulting in retirement, healthcare and workforce managements. The conclusions drawn from the report are that defined benefit (DB) plans must address fund performance relative to liabilities. Timeframes for making decisions on this are, Mercer said, shrinking at the same time that strategic investment decisions have become more ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214757722/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 06:35:41 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214757722/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Merges between the Pensions Board and the Financial Regulator, and the Pensions Ombudsman and the Financial Services Ombudsman, have been recommended in the Irish government’s ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214757378/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 06:35:35 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214757378/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The Local Government Pension Institution (LGPI) has signed an agreement with Ortec Finance to license its Asset Liability solution for pension plans. The pension institution for local governments in Finland will be able to formulate ALM strategies based on Ortec Finance’s scenario generation, asset and liability methodologies. ';Based on our extensive evaluation process, we ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214757373/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 06:35:33 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214757373/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The European Commission has selected Hewitt Associates to conduct a feasibility study and advise on the establishment of a pan-European pension fund for researchers. The project will see Hewitt analysing the legal, technical and financial terms and requirements that must be considered when setting up pan-European arrangements for occupational pensions, which must also take EU ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214757354/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 06:35:33 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214757354/scat/e974f944f2e7496e A new tax-efficient Pension Trust that allows UK Limited Companies to provide retirement packages for their employees who have responsibilities outside the UK has been launched by s615(6) Limited. The International Retirement Benefit Scheme had previously only been open to direct clients, but for the first time will be offered as a new international pensions solution, and can stand ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756470/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:37 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756470/scat/e974f944f2e7496e A report from UKSIF, the association which promotes Sustainable Investment and Finance, indicates that Responsible Investment is growing in popularity among UK corporate pension funds, a change led by ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756483/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:35 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756483/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Firm measures are necessary to bring scheme funding levels of Dutch pension funds up to the minimum required funding ratio of 105 per cent within five years, warns De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) in its Annual Report 2008. DNB, which is responsible for safeguarding financial stability in the Netherlands, said the funding level at the end of 2008, which stood at 95 per cent, can be brought up ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756550/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:33 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756550/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Bankpension, a pension fund for employees in the Danish financial sector, has reported ';extremely unsatisfactory'; 2008 results, with yields after tax standing at -19.7 per cent. In its annual report of results, Bankpension says that its gross yield including interest cover before tax for 2008 was -23.1 per cent, and reveals that the return on investment before currency and ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756522/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:32 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756522/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Ireland’s defined benefit (DB) pension scheme members will gain further support with news that a new Pensions Insolvency Payment Scheme (PIPS) is to be introduced in the Social and Welfare and Pensions Bill 2009. Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Mary Hanafin T.D., announced that the new development will assist employees and former employees of companies where the employer ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756532/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:31 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756532/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Global pension assets have dropped by over 20 per cent, or $5.4trn, as a result of the financial crisis, says the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The organisation said the pressure on defined benefit (DB) funding levels has been increased by this drop, and has also dented many defined contribution (DC) systems worldwide. Representatives from the OECD and ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756590/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:30 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756590/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Irish private pension provision will be destroyed if the Irish Government goes ahead with a reduction in tax relief, says the Irish Association of Pension Funds (IAPF). Next month’s supplementary Budget will outline the proposals, and the IAPF has released a briefing paper in advance of this. It says that the reduction in relief on pension contributions to the standard rate would ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756535/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:28 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756535/scat/e974f944f2e7496e EUR 26bn worth of securities were sold by Dutch pension funds in the fourth quarter of 2008, according to figures published by De Nederlandsche Bank. The funds carried out equities sales totalling almost €9bn, and disposed of €17bn worth of debt certificates such as bonds. Due to these sales, and to substantial price losses on the funds’ equity holdings, the value of their ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756551/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:27 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756551/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The credit crunch is not letting up on Irish pension funds, with February recording further losses of 5.7 per cent. In January, the average fund declined by 1.9 per cent, brining the return for 2009 so far to -7.5 per cent. The best performing manager during February was Standard Life Investments, with -5.0 per cent, and Irish Life Investment Managers delivered the worst performance of ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756536/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:26 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756536/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The European Union (EU) has admitted that pensions are not ‘immune’ from the financial crisis, but have shown themselves to be ‘robust’ in comparison to other financial institutions. The memo examines different pension schemes throughout the EU, and concludes that the long-term nature of pensions works to their advantage, giving some natural protection. However, ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756591/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:26 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756591/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Norway's Government Pension Fund lost NOK 29.6bn (€2.95bn) in 2008, a massive drop attributed to the equities, according to figures from Folketrygdfondet. The asset manager is a state-owned company, and is solely responsible for the domestic pension fund which invests only in Nordic countries. It has confirmed in its annual report for 2008 that the scheme had dropped by NOK ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756524/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:26 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756524/scat/e974f944f2e7496e In a bid to level out the playing field between Iceland’s pensions for public officials and the general public, the Minister of Finance has moved to abolish the Act that provides these pension privileges to senior public servants and politicians. Act no. 141/2003 sees these officials, the President of Iceland, ministers, member of the Althingi and justices of the Supreme Court, ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756592/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:24 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756592/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The Second Swedish National Pension Fund/AP2 has recorded a sharp fall in its market worth for 2008, amounting to a return of -24 per cent on net assets. The return value, SEK -55.1bn, meant the Fund’s capital assets totalled SEK 173.3bn at the end of December 2008, and had a net inflow of SEK 0.9bn. The capital asset value was SEK 54.2bn lower than in 2007. The drop has been ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756526/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:22 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756526/scat/e974f944f2e7496e UK pension funds are set to enjoy a €100million rebate from the Dutch tax authorities following a tax ruling, says the UK branch of KPMG. The professional services provider’s test claimant, Strathclyde Pension Fund, has brought a successful legal challenge against the Dutch tax authority for a levied ‘withholding tax’ (WHT) on dividend payments to tax exempt bodies ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756552/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:20 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756552/scat/e974f944f2e7496e show that assets fell from around US$25trn to US$20trn, with the global pensions balance sheet also shrinking by around 29 per cent in 2008. The financial consultant says this reflects the combined effects of poor performing assets and lower government bond yields. ';While the ramifications of this global economic crisis will be played out for many years to come, the striking ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756475/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:19 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756475/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Life expectancy assumptions for funding valuations in UK pension schemes have been increased by eleven months, according to Mercer’s valuation survey. In a reaction to regulatory pressure, says the financial consultant, UK pension schemes have increased the median life span assumed for active and deferred members to 89 years and one month, from valuations a year ago of 88 years and ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756593/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:19 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756593/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The Irish Pensions Ombudsman saw a forty-three per cent rise in new cases compared to 2007, with the number of cases closed in 2008 up by ten per cent on last year. Around 450 cases are currently under investigation by the Dublin-based organisation, and its website has recorded over a third of a million hits annually. A statement regarding the provisional figures of the caseload in the ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756537/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:19 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756537/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Polish open pension funds OFE have recorded a negative rate of return of 14 per cent for 2008. The market watchdog also said that, between January and December 2008, OFE lost zl.21.5bn. The loss is almost equal to the value of all funds transferred to OFE by the Social Insurance Office (ZUS), which stood at zl.20bn. Grzegorz Zubrzycki, PTE Allianz management board member, said: ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756553/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:16 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756553/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Norway’s Ministry of Finance is referring to its Ethical Guidelines for the Norwegian Government Pension Fund – Global following the situation in Gaza. According to the current Guidelines, the Council on Ethics shall recommend exclusion of companies from the fund’s investment universe where they see a considerable risk of contributing to serious or systematic human ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756519/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:16 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756519/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Survey. It seems that pension risk is no longer simply an inconvenience, and the survey questioned 171 pension plans in 12 countries. It found that pension risk is viewed primarily as a short-term financial risk, and changes to asset and benefit packages are seen to be increasingly driven by their impact on accounting numbers, rather than to a long-term view that is more traditionally ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756594/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:14 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756594/scat/e974f944f2e7496e . The financial consultant questioned 1,028 human resource and finance professionals representing organisations from operations in more than 100 countries on their plans for 2009. The results show that firms are anticipating a tough 2009, with companies remaining selective in planning workforce, pay and benefit cuts. However, employees are concerned that a prolonged economic downturn ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756485/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:13 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756485/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The credit crisis has confirmed that pension funds can no longer rely on their consultants and asset managers to safely steer them through uncharted waters and will need to ';up their game';, claims a new study. UK research consultancy CREATE-Research, which jointly produced the study with IPE, based its findings on two separate postal surveys of 87 funds and 135 asset managers, ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756595/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:11 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756595/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Asia have undertaken far more extensive and fundamental pension reforms than those in Western industrialised countries, according to a new report from Allianz Global Investors ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756584/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:11 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756584/scat/e974f944f2e7496e A report has been launched following an independent review of the governance principles and structures of occupational pension funds which recommends that a new pension fund governance model be ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756596/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:10 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756596/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The changing concept of retirement and the rising cost of healthcare are the top concerns around the globe for employers, according to ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756308/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:35:03 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756308/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Irish pension funds have lost a third of their value in just 12 months, falling by 33.4 per cent, according to investment consultant Rubicon. In October 2008 alone, Irish pension managed funds fell by 9.2 per cent on average, with the best performance coming from Eagle Star at -8.5 per cent. Irish Life Investment Managers delivered the poorest returns, with -10.5 per cent. So far in 2008, ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756151/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:35:01 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756151/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The number of employees on international assignments has increased by almost 90 per cent over the last three years, according to ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755801/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:35:00 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755801/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Pension funds must continue to invest in commodities, despite recent scares and turmoil across the financial sector, says veteran commodity investor, Jim Rogers. Rogers ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756269/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:57 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756269/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Complex EU legislation, taxation issues and perceived lack of products are among the hurdles slowing down the development of Pan-European pensions arrangements, according to a recent study carried out by ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755909/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:54 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755909/scat/e974f944f2e7496e A construction company and its director have been charged with failing to remit the contributions it deducted from the wages and salaries of employees to the Construction Workers Pension Scheme (CWPS). Judge David McHugh heard the case, for which there was no present Defendants nor defendant representation in the court, on Wednesday 24 September, and ruled against Limestone Construction ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755629/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:53 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755629/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Elderly persons will outnumber the working age population in the coming years, pushing up healthcare and pension benefit costs in many parts of the world, according to the World Economic ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756309/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:51 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756309/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Holdings in companies that market cluster weapons are to be sold by the Second Swedish National Pension Fund (AP2) and Forsta AP-fonden (AP1). The decisions have been made on the recommendation by the Ethical Council of the Swedish National Pension Funds, a convention endorsed by Sweden in May 2008, and the First to Fourth Swedish National Pension Funds have been advised to exclude ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756128/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:51 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756128/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Norway’s Government Pension Fund has neglected to apply best practice in sustainable investments and is not yet fully addressing the impacts of global warming, according to the World Wildlife Fund, Norway (WWF-Norway). The fund, which is based on petroleum revenues, is currently estimated at $381bn, and is the world’s second largest sovereign wealth fund. More than one per ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756127/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:51 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756127/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Pension funds’ risk management strategies will be put to the test as the Lehman Brothers saga continues, according to financial consultant Mercer. The firm has said that pension funds are exposed in more ways than one due to the damage resulting from the US financial system’s problems. Jon Exley, a principal in Mercer’s financial strategy group said that recent ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756324/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:49 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756324/scat/e974f944f2e7496e A series of working papers released by the International Organisation of Pension Supervisors (IOPS) has highlighted the increasing importance of Defined Contribution (DC) The papers, which follow on from a successful initial series, have marked a strong shift in focus towards DC provision. The initial papers looked as the use of education and risk based regulation. Drafted by various ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755804/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:49 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755804/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Belgian employers are in for a shock when their workers receive their retirement income, according to financial consultant Watson Wyatt. While employers believe the pension plans they offer will provide their employees with the anticipated income for retirement, of around 70 per cent of final salary, Watson ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756101/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:49 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756101/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Between April 2007 and March 2008, Dutch pension funds are reported as having received €4.9bn in dividends on quoted shares, according to De Nederlandsche Bank. Pension fund holdings of these quoted shares averaged at €195bn in that period, which excluded quoted shares held through mutual funds. The Bank said that dividend income is used for two things, either as a major funding ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755607/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:46 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755607/scat/e974f944f2e7496e , also showed that most major countries recorded increases in assets, and that the size of these assets has more than doubled over five years. ';The world’s largest pension funds continue to benefit from a high profile as global demographic challenges remain front of mind,'; commented Carl Hess, global head of investment consulting at Watson Wyatt. ';As a result ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755583/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:46 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755583/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The share of unpaid old-age or disability pensions in Lithuania was paid back to pensioners who worked between 1995 and 2002 in July 2008, according to the Republic’s Ministry of Social Security and Labour. The repayments were announced following the Repayment of the Share of State Social Insurance Old-Age and Disability Pensions procedure. Those first to benefit from the payouts ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756325/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:43 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756325/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The medium-term outlook for public finances in Norway are in relatively good shape, partly due to increasing pension fund revenues, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756129/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:41 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756129/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The European Federation for Retirement Provision (EFRP) has submitted its response on the Pro-active Accounting Activities in Europe (PAAinE) discussion paper on the financial reporting of pensions. The consultation was launched by the UK’s Accounting Standards Board (ASB) in collaboration with the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG). The EFRP said that pension ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755612/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:35 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755612/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The value of the Dutch pension funds’ technical provisions stood at approximately €493bn at year-end 2007, a drop in liabilities of €14bn, according to De Nederlandsche Bank. Pension funds calculate these technical provisions in order to estimate what they are required to pay to future pensioners, and the size of this is dependent on factors such as capital market rates and ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756193/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:34 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756193/scat/e974f944f2e7496e . The inaugural report shows that many mainstream fund managers are improving their understanding of environmental, social and corporate governance ESG issues, and are beginning to integrate this knowledge into their investment processes. However, the report also reveals that the industry as a whole is a long way from best practice, with competencies and practices varying greatly from ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756326/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:30 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756326/scat/e974f944f2e7496e In a submission on the Green Paper on pensions, the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association (ISME) affirmed its outright opposition to the introduction of mandatory pensions, outlining that individual responsibility for retirement income was the only acceptable way forward. Conducted in association with consultant Jardine Lloyd Thompson, the submission assessed the proposed areas ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756327/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:29 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756327/scat/e974f944f2e7496e During 2007 alternative assets managed on behalf of pension funds by the world’s largest 99 investment managers grew by 40 per cent to US$822bn from US$586bn the year before, according to research by Watson Wyatt and Global Investor magazine. The research shows that over half of the top 99 managers are US-based, while over a third are based in Europe. Real estate managers lead the ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756328/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:29 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756328/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The two Dutch pension funds for the metal industry, the €33bn Pensioenfonds Metaalelektro (PMT) and the €21.5bn Pensioenfonds Metaal en Techniek (PME), have launched a joint social responsible investment policy. In conjunction with asset manager and pension provider Mn Services, jointly owned by PME and PMT, the two funds have drawn eight lead principles from international ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756194/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:28 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756194/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Following the appointment of the new Italian government, welfare minister, Maurizio Sacconi, has announced plans for the Italian pension system which may result in conflict with the country’s trade unions over the coming months. Sacconi appears to have made additions to proposals by the former Prodi-led government, which planned to phase in an increase in retirement ages and number ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756165/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:27 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756165/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The associations representing Spanish workers in Gibraltar staged a protest on 12 June campaigning for better pensions and social security benefits. Spanish workers in Gibraltar want the Spanish Government to change the law so that they get a similar pension benefit to what any other Spanish worker gets, when having worked all their life in Spain. They want benefits derived from their ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756183/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:25 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756183/scat/e974f944f2e7496e 10.6.08 Creative thinking when it comes to pensions and benefit provision is rife in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) among employers keen to attract and retain an evermore demanding workforce. The latest editions of Watson Wyatt’s annual reports on employee benefits and employment terms and conditions for CEE reveal that companies are having to differentiate themselves by ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755810/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:25 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755810/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Reducing or eliminating the tax incentivisation of pensions and diverting the current cost into providing a higher State pension is ';fundamentally unsound'; in terms of the economy, says a report by Life Strategies. The actuarial consultancy firm carried out the report on behalf of the Irish Association of Pension Funds (IAPF). According to the study, the annual cost of tax ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756332/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:25 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756332/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Removing barriers rather than imposing compulsion is the best way to address the pensions crisis, according to the Irish Association of Pension Funds (IAPF) in its response to the Government Green Paper on pensions. At the announcement of the report, Patrick Burke, chairman of the IAPF, said: ';We believe the best approach is to increase the number of people with good pensions using ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756331/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:24 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756331/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Risk avoidance and managing volatility are the top priorities for company sponsors in the wake of the credit crunch and the turbulent capital markets, according to SEI’s Global Quick Poll. Nearly two thirds (62 per cent) of those polled globally said decreasing volatility in their investment portfolios whilst maintaining current returns was a higher priority than increasing returns ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756330/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:23 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756330/scat/e974f944f2e7496e It will be vital that the Finnish economy keeps a large government surplus in the coming years and to ensure that labour force participation, especially among older workers, continues to rise, if it is to continue to perform well. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has today published ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756132/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:22 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756132/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Swedish pension fund AP7 will sell all its holdings in companies making cluster bombs and nuclear weapons. The move by AP7, one of seven state-owned pension funds in Sweden, means holdings in Airbus parent EADS and US-based Lockheed Martin Corp. and General Dynamics Corp. will be sold. AP7 manages pension savings worth around 90bn kroner (about $15bn). The move follows news in April ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756131/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:22 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756131/scat/e974f944f2e7496e People with larger pensions live longer, according to an investigation into the pensioner mortality experience of members of self administered pension schemes between 2003 and 2006, completed by the Society of Actuaries in Ireland. In total, data from 49 schemes and approximately 93,000 scheme members, ranging from over 60 to over 90 years of age, were examined, and the study found that ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756329/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:21 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756329/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Nominations are now open for the European Pensions ‘Personality of the Year’ award which, nominated by our readers, aims to recognise those individuals that have truly made their mark in the European pensions space in recent ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755914/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:20 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755914/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The European Federation for Retirement Provision (EFRP) has called upon European policymakers to reflect on the implications of imposing inadequate short term security requirements for long term investors. The EFRP believes that more research and analysis is needed before deciding whether to revise the funding and solvency regime for Institutions Occupational Retirement Provisions ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756310/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:20 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756310/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Pension and non-life insurance companies can withstand further fluctuations on the financial market, and thereby have a good capacity to fulfil their commitments to customers, according to Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority, Finansinspektionen (FI). Their traffic-light model for Q1 2008 shows that no company has received a red light, with the exception of the pension fund Prometheus. ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755586/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:18 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755586/scat/e974f944f2e7496e As defined contribution (DC) schemes grow in importance, employees are not contributing enough to secure an adequate income in retirement, according to new research from the Irish Association of Pension Funds (IAPF). Research from the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, presented at the IAPF’s first dedicated DC conference in Dublin, found that the average contribution to ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756311/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:17 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756311/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the International Organisation of Pension Supervisors (IOPS) have agreed new guidelines to boost financial security and performance. The guidelines will help pensions regulators and supervisors improve the way private work-related pension entities, such as pension fund management companies and pension trustees, are ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756333/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:16 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756333/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Italian consultants have given their predictions on what Berlusconi’s election as Italian Prime Minister for a third term could mean for the future of the country’s pensions. With a recent study by Euromonitor International revealing Italy’s public debt to be the highest in Europe, Berlusconi’s Government must address the issues affecting this. Pensions currently ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756168/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:14 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756168/scat/e974f944f2e7496e European pension funds are paying more attention to implementing effective governance structures, according to a survey by Mercer’s investment consulting business. The annual survey, which covered more than 1,100 European pension funds with assets of €538bn, revealed that trustees are making changes to ensure investment objectives are met and market opportunities are seized. It ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755916/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:12 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755916/scat/e974f944f2e7496e A supervisory organisation is calling on the European Commission to clarify what constitutes cross-border pensions activity as a result of findings in a new ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756336/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:12 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756336/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Irish pension funds fell by 1.3% in 2007, the Irish Association of Pension Funds’ (IAPF) annual asset allocation survey has revealed, bringing assets down to €86.6bn at the end of 2007 from €87.7 at the end of 2006. Despite recent falls, however, the total value of assets managed by Irish pension funds has almost doubled from €44.8bn in the five years since the end of ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756155/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:11 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756155/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Any ';outdated'; and ';stereotyped'; views on Defined Contribution schemes should be abandoned to enable the EU to address the challenge of ensuring a decent standard of living for its ageing population, according to a report published by the European Fund and Asset Management Association (EFAMA). Despite the criticisms that are often made of DC, the schemes remain, ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756335/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:10 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756335/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Pension providers should be more aware of potentially discriminatory clauses when drafting pension plans on behalf of their clients, a leading lawyer has warned, following a decision by the Brussels Labour Court of Appeal. The landmark court decision, which held Fortis insurance company criminally liable for discriminatory clauses in a pension plan it had drafted for a client, could have ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756334/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:10 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756334/scat/e974f944f2e7496e European institutional investors have lost out on nearly $3.6bn between 2000 and 2007 by failing to participate in US securities class actions. A report from GOAL Group, a European withholding tax and class action service specialist, has revealed that since 2000 institutional investors’ non-participation in US securities class actions resulted in billions being left on the table, a ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756337/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:10 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756337/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Denmark has come top for the second year running in a report ranking European countries according to their success at addressing pension scheme risk. The third annual Aon European Pensions Barometer, which analyses 25 of the 27 member states of the European Union (EU), rates countries by assessing four key areas of pension risks: demographics; adequacy of State provision; affordability ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755811/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:08 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755811/scat/e974f944f2e7496e European pension funds could be set for significant tax windfalls following today's decision by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) looking at the legality of withholding taxes levied on dividend income. The case was brought by Portuguese company Amurta after it lost 25 per cent of its dividend payments from investments in Dutch company Retailbox, while Retailbox’s Dutch ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756338/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:07 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756338/scat/e974f944f2e7496e A new report on Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries has revealed that there are deep structural reforms fuelling a 19% per annum increase in private pension assets. Another highlight of the report, carried out by Allianz Global Investors, is the growing demographic problem in these countries. Allianz expects to see the old age dependency ratio grow from 20 pensioners for every ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756339/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:05 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756339/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The European Financial Services Round Table (EFR) has issued a paper in which it advocates a framework for Pan-European voluntary pension savings providing more flexibility and choice than exists today – with proposals on how to overcome some of the obstacles it currently ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755918/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:03 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755918/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Pension reforms in Europe and across the globe have resulted in a significant reduction in pension promises, a new study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has indicated. The average pension promise in the 16 OECD countries covered by the Pensions at a Glance 2007 study* has been cut by 22% (for women the reduction was 25%) because of reforms, and in only ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755812/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:03 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214755812/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Eight out of ten Italian companies have said that company pension provision is central to their employee benefit and total reward policy, following recent legislation that removes some of the previous constraints on company pension provision. Until now, companies have been restricted by Italian legislation as to what they can offer employees, which has meant that 60% of Italian ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756170/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:34:01 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756170/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Pension deficits have hit a five year low and 25% of FTSE 100 companies are now in surplus following a three-month rollercoaster ride at the beginning of 2007 new analysis by UK actuarial firm Deloitte has found. The total deficit for the final salary pension plans of the UK's top 100 companies, based on FRS 17 and IAS 19 calculations, is currently £21bn (as end of March) - ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756340/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 04:33:59 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214756340/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Nation’s Housing WASHINGTON - Here’s a heads-up for the growing ranks of seniors whose post-retirement monthly incomes aren’t sufficient to qualify for a mortgage under today’s tough underwriting standards: Thanks to a rule change by the largest players in the home-loan business, you may be able to use imputed income from your 401(k), IRA and other retirement assets to ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214754284/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 01:38:20 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214754284/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Collins buoyed by support for gay stand Former US football international Robbie Rogers, who came out as gay and retired from the game in February, is set to join Major League Soccer's LA Galaxy. USA Today is reporting that Rogers has agreed terms with the Galaxy and the team later announced a press conference for Saturday for a "player acquisition" announcement, without ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214754304/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 01:35:29 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214754304/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Robbie Rogers , who came out as homosexual when he announced his retirement from soccer, tells USA Today he has decided to return to the field. Rogers said he made the decision last month while he was speaking at the Nike Be True LGBT Youth Forum in Portland, Ore. "I seriously felt like a coward," he said. "These kids are standing up for themselves and changing the world, and ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214754344/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 01:15:18 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214754344/scat/e974f944f2e7496e California in recent decades has spent billions retrofitting its bridges for earthquakes, but in the wake of Thursday's bridge collapse in Washington state, critics say the Golden State is still lagging behind most other states in the quality of its bridges.Thousands of bridges in California are classified as "structurally deficient" by federal transportation authorities, meaning ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214753030/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Sat, 25 May 2013 00:15:10 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214753030/scat/e974f944f2e7496e DAVID YAMAMOTO/SPECIAL TO THE STAR Los Primeros Elementary School second-graders Tabitha Thomassen (left), Kimberly Willard, Dylan Rosenthal and Ava Townsend wave their flags while singing on Thursday as students present a patriotic musical at First Baptist Church in Camarillo. Camarillo second-graders serenaded seniors at a musical assembly to kick off Memorial Day festivities at First ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214752311/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Fri, 24 May 2013 23:35:56 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214752311/scat/e974f944f2e7496e See your ad here Little Company of Mary, the company that runs Calvary Mater Hospital, has announced it will buy 3.4hectares of Muswellbrook Council's Brennan Park land to build a 92-place aged-care community.The new complex will include 60 hostel and nursing home places and 32 independent living units.The announcement is also set to solve a problem facing Hunter New England Health about ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214751604/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Fri, 24 May 2013 22:27:21 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214751604/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Marion (left) and Dawne Gilchrist are shown in this 2011 family photo celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary. The couple was assaulted and robbed by an intruder at their Wetaskiwin-area rural property on May ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214751605/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Fri, 24 May 2013 22:08:34 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214751605/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Lydia is 52 and single with two children, age 16 and 21.They live in suburban Toronto, where the older child is in fourth-year university.Two and a half years ago, Lydia was laid off from the job she worked at for 20 years. After her severance pay ran out, she worked off and on in a number of temporary assignments as an executive ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214751367/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Fri, 24 May 2013 21:19:12 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214751367/scat/e974f944f2e7496e To Birmingham for an interesting speech from Liam Byrne - he who as a member of the Labour Government Treasury team famously left the note after the 2010 election warning the incoming Chancellor there was no money ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214750710/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Fri, 24 May 2013 21:01:10 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214750710/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Ontario municipal pension fund giant OMERS has received a proposal from some of its employer members to increase the amount of time it would take for workers in the plan to gain a full pension from 35 years to 38 years.The proposal will be voted on at the end of June, but would require significant backing from union representatives at the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System to be ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214750504/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Fri, 24 May 2013 20:10:43 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214750504/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times Wayne Atzenhoffer, a volunteer at Christus Spohn Hospital Shoreline, gets Tina Peña a cup of coffee while she gets an infusion at the Cancer Center on Tuesday. Since 1994 the couple has volunteered at Christus Spohn Hospital ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214749845/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Fri, 24 May 2013 19:32:37 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214749845/scat/e974f944f2e7496e A female Florida high school senior accused of having sex with her underage girlfriend has rejected a plea agreement, attorneys said. Kaitlyn Hunt, who is 18 and attends Sebastian River High School in Sebastian, Fla., is charged with two felony counts of lewd and lascivious battery on a child 12 to 16 years old. If convicted, she could be sentenced to 15 years in prison and registered as a sex ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214749351/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Fri, 24 May 2013 18:28:07 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214749351/scat/e974f944f2e7496e The District Attorney's Office said Hormell was hired by the victim's family in 2008 to manage her extensive financial holdings and oversee a monthly spending budget for her. Over the next five years, he stole more than $160,000 from her by using his access to her bank accounts and ATM card, prosecutors ... http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214747659/scat/e974f944f2e7496e Fri, 24 May 2013 17:56:36 -0400 http://www.seattlebulletin.com/index.php/sid/214747659/scat/e974f944f2e7496e