Pensions during the crisis: Impact on retirement income systems and policy responses

Abstract

The financial and economic crisis has had a profound impact on economies and societies, and pension systems are no exception. This paper illustrates the impact of the financial crisis on private pension schemes and of the wider economic crisis on both private and public retirement income provisions. The analysis shows that no pension scheme and no country is immune from the effects of the crisis. Policy responses to the crisis are explored: both short-term mitigation and addressing long-term, structural problems that have been highlighted and exacerbated by current financial and economic difficulties. © 2009 The International Association for the Study of Insurance Economics.