Irish Women Lawyers Association4 July 2009

David MaloneHead of InformationThe Pensions Board

Missing - Our future Women and the Great Pensions Robbery

Numbers in Irish pensions• Company pension scheme

579,922 members in 1,271 DB schemes 272,197 members in 90,424 DC schemes

• Personal Retirement Savings Accounts (PRSAs)155,632 PRSA contracts in force (88,213 employers had signed up with a PRSA provider )

• Personal pension plans and Retirement Annuity Contracts (RACs) 200,000 plus contracts (Irish Insurance Federation)

(Figures at end December 2008)

The Pensions Board

Established by the Pensions Act, 1990

Operations:

• Supervision, regulation and enforcement

• Policy, legal and actuarial

• Information and awareness

Regulation and Compliance

• Risk based assessment

• Misappropriation of scheme assets

• Registered Administrators (RAs)

• Board prosecutions and on-the-spot fines

Key Pensions Issues and Recent Developments

• Pension expectations

• Investment losses

• Investment risk

• Risk management

Women and Pensions

A Changing World

People are Living Longer

More Contract Work

More mobility in careers

Changing work patterns

More Part Time Working

Single Parent Households

Smaller Families

Separation/Divorce

Changing demographics

2006 2026 2056

No’s at Work 2,000,100 2,268,000 2,125,000

Aged over 65 464,000 844,000 1,532,000

No’s at work per person over 65

4.3 2.7 1.4

National Pensions Action Campaign

Pensions Coverage for Women

• 50% of women in the workforce have a personal pension up from 45% in 2002

• as compared to 56% for men

*Source: CSO Quarterly National Household Survey Update 2008

Reasons for putting it off 36% said they couldn’t get around to organising a pension

18% felt they couldn’t afford a pension, citing the following reasons: nature of employment mortgage /loans/debts childcare/ caring payments and responsibilities

majority had difficulty understanding the tax on pensions

40% admitted to giving very little thought/no thought to their income when they retire

Source of statistics: Red C Consumer Market Research 2008

To provide regular income in retirement, or early retirement due to ill-health

Tax Reliefs

Part of your retirement benefit may be paid as tax-free cash sum

Pension schemes do not pay income or capital gains tax on investment returns

Provision of lump sum benefit income for surviving dependants

Income Tax and PRSI relief on employee contributions

Why have a pension?

Pension = income in retirement

Where will your income come from when you retire?

The current State social welfare pension is €230.30 per week

(or € 11,975.60 per year)

…….will this be enough to meet all your needs in retirement?

Almost 80% of the Pensions Board consumer research sample said that the State old age pension would NOT meet their needs in retirement

Pensions on Separation or Divorce

Your pension entitlements arising from an occupational or personal pension arrangement may be affected by separation or divorce

Pension Adjustment Orders (PAOs) are used to

designate part of the pension benefits to a non member spouse or a person representing a dependent child.

Pensions in the workplace

• A good pension scheme has been long recognised as a very valuable asset for both the company and its employees.

• There is a stronger commitment from employees to participate in pension schemes where the employer makes a contribution.

• A company benefits from having:– a reputation and respect as a good employer.– a workforce that feels valued and important– increased loyalty and commitment from staff– an enhanced staff recruitment, reward and retention

package

Employers’ Obligations/ Opportunity

Access for all Employees

– By law an employer must provide ALL employees with some form of access to a pension, whether they are in full-time, part-time, temporary, contract or casual employment.

– All employers regardless of the size of their workforce are obliged to provide access to a Standard PRSA if those employees fall into the category of “excluded employees”

– Pensions Board also encourages all employees to ask the employer about their pension rights

Pensions Information

WebsiteGuidance & FAQs

E-mail alertsEnquiry serviceTrustee supports

We all have a responsible role to play…..

…tell a friend today about starting a pension!