Welfare Reform on the Web (July 2004): Pensions - Overseas

MACROECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF PORTFOLIO ADJUSTMENTS OF GOVERNMENT RUN PENSION FUNDS

P. Pestieau and U.M. Possen

Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Vol. 3, 2004, p.7-34

The article looks at the implications of investing part of the money held by government-run pension funds in private equities instead of government securities. This strategy aims to give retirees a better rate of return and help the economy by increasing the aggregate size of the capital stock.

NEW EVIDENCE ON PENSION PLAN DESIGN AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES: THE AUSTRALIAN EXPERIENCE

H. Bateman and O.S. Mitchelle

Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Vol. 3, 2004, p.63-76

Policymakers seeking to design efficient pension systems are beginning to acknowledge the importance of administrative expenses when formulating rules for pension plan structure and fee disclosure requirements. The study explores the link between retirement plan offerings and administrative expenses for a wide range of public and private sector pension plans, using a new dataset covering 2000 Australian pension funds.