Are you one of the untraceable pensioners? Discover it now!
A search is underway in the Netherlands for people who may be entitled to a pension, but so far cannot be traced. This concerns a significant number of people and funds involved. Find out here how you can check whether there is a pension in your name and what you should do if you think you are entitled to a benefit.
Telegraaf: €2,4 billion in 'forgotten' pension money in the Netherlands due to emigration and ignorance
In De Telegraaf we read a remarkable article about 450.000 'forgotten' pension pots in the Netherlands with a total value of €2,4 billion. According to the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets and the pension funds involved, this is a considerable problem. While many of these pots are small, amounting to less than $100 per year, there are also significant amounts of $15.000 per year that have not been raised.
Thailand ranks as the ninth best destination worldwide to retire. This recognition comes from International Living magazine, which publishes an annual Global Retirement Index highlighting the best destinations for retirement.
Stichting PensioenVoldoen is fighting a legal battle against the Dutch government for discontinued pension indexation. Since our appeal on Thailandblog, support has grown tremendously, with over 250.000 victims joining. Workers now also realize that they are suffering damage as a result. Despite a recent defeat in preliminary relief proceedings, the Foundation remains determined and is preparing for more extensive proceedings on the merits. We call on readers to exert political pressure and apply to the Foundation. Together we can tackle this issue.
Support the Stichting Pensioen Voldoen your claim to do justice to pension indexation! (reader submission)
The Dutch State and the Dutch Bank have for years prevented pension funds from increasing their members' pension benefits, while indexation according to earned assets was possible in those years. Both the State and the Bank have pursued a rigid policy, contrary to European directives. That is why a former civil servant has demanded an advance on the indexation damage suffered by the court in The Hague in preliminary relief proceedings.
Recently in the news untraceable pensioners
Hundreds of millions of euros of 'unfindable' pensioners remain with pension funds. Pension fund ABP recently confirmed this in the media.
Thailand best destination for retirees in Asia
International Living has released its annual global pension index for 2022. Panama has taken the number one spot on the annual Global Retirement Index for 2022 as the world's safest, most affordable and most welcoming country for retirees, with an average score of 86,1 and Thailand also ranks particularly well.
More than 37% of the working population sometimes loses sleep over his or her pension
Concerns about the level of the accrued pension (52%), whether or not they will be able to make ends meet after retirement (45%) and the drop in income they will be faced with (35%) are the main reasons for 37% of the working population to sometimes worry about your own pension.
In the speech from the throne on Prinsjesdag, the cabinet still assumes a modest increase in purchasing power of 0,4 percent for pensioners, but such a marginal increase is negated by inflation.
Reader Submission: No proof of life to be sent
Today I received the following correspondence from the pension fund SBZ (Stichting Bedrijfstakpensioenfonds Zorgverzekeraars): You do not need to send proof of life now. The board of SBZ Pensioen has decided to make a one-off exception for this year.
Millions of Dutch people will still have to deal with pension cuts, according to a number of large pension funds. There is not enough money in cash to meet the requirements of the government, 7 million Dutch people will feel that in their wallets.
Due to questions that regularly come in about AOW and pension, Stichting Goed has started setting up a knowledge base. This can be found on the website: www.stichtinggoed.nl/kb-pensioen/
The corona crisis will probably also have far-reaching consequences for pensioners. The financial markets have collapsed and with it the funding ratios of pension funds. Four of the five largest pension funds are already in trouble. For some, the funding ratio is even below 85 percent.
Mr Dijsselbloem wants to speed up the pension robbery. It's been going on for years, but it's not going fast enough for him. It is no different than a shift from the elderly to the employed. The elderly are stripped naked, the workers profit a little bit and the big loot goes to the financiers.
Reader's entry: Pension facts worth knowing
The Thailand blog is of course mainly written about things that have to do with Thailand, but also about things that affect many Thailand visitors. Pensions are part of that. This article is about pensions from industry and government, not about the AOW benefits that are also often referred to as pensions, which often causes confusion.
Modernization of pension distribution upon divorce
The distribution of pensions for partners who are getting divorced will be modernised. This is the aim of the 2021 pension distribution bill approved by the Council of Ministers on the proposal of Minister Koolmees of Social Affairs and Employment.
The Dutch Central Bank warns that many pension funds are still struggling with financial problems. If that remains the case, 2 million participants at three large pension funds will have their supplementary pension cuts on 1 January. The following year, another 33 pension funds with 7,7 million participants may face cutbacks.
Two million Dutch people may have their pension reduced
It seems almost inevitable that just under two million pensioners and working people will have their pension cuts next year and that may also affect pensioners in Thailand. Especially the pension funds in the metal industry, PME and PMT, had a bad last quarter after the stock market collapse.
The legal aspect of an Attestation de Vita
Pensioners who have deregistered in the Netherlands and live in Thailand, for example, are familiar with the Attestation de Vita. It is written proof, which is required by pension funds, among others, to demonstrate that someone is (still) alive. This means that after the death of someone, the pension benefit is stopped.
Despite frequent attention in politics and the media, the state pension age is still higher than expected for many people. A majority therefore indicates that they would like to stop working earlier than the state pension age.
Global Pension Index: 'The Netherlands once again has the best pension system in the world'
The Dutch pension system is the best in the world, according to the annual Global Pension Index of consultancy Mercer. Last year Denmark took off with this title, but the Netherlands has been number one again for seven years.
Very small pensions will expire on 1 January 2019
From 1 January 2019, very small pensions will expire. These are pensions of € 2 or less gross per year. This is allowed under new rules because the administration costs for these very small pensions are very high.