The Great Debate UK
from Global Investing:
Russia’s babushka time-bomb
The babushka, that embodiment of Russian grandmotherly goodness that has spawned iconic dolls and inspired a Kate Bush song, poses one of the gravest threat to the Russian economy.
Moscow-based investment bank Renaissance Capital also expects this segment of the demography to spur politically risky pension reforms.
Russia's pension system is coming under increasing strain thanks to growing life expectancy -- particularly among women -- and a shrinking labour force due to the collapse in birth rates in the 1990s.
Since the introduction of the current system, the average life span of the Russian man has risen to 63.4 years, up from 58.7. Over the same period of time, the life expectancy for the country's women has risen to 75.4 years, up from 71.9.
The great annuity scandal
- Steve Hunt is Managing Director of independent annuities broker Rockingham Retirement. The opinions expressed are his own. -
The concept of an annuity has not changed in hundreds of years. In fact the first annuities sold were probably during Roman times where ‘annua’ were sold for a fixed period or for life; but today’s mortality is unprecedented in history. An annuity was never designed to be paid over 30 years, or even 20 years for that matter.
