1st Edition

Understanding Pensions

By Martin Sullivan Copyright 2004
    184 Pages
    by Routledge

    184 Pages
    by Routledge

    With birth rates falling at the same time that average age is rising in the developed world, the pensions time bomb is ticking louder than ever. Understanding how pensions work, their history, and their future is absolutely essential.

    This book thoroughly explains to readers the unique concepts and terminology which underpin pensions. Focusing firstly on the rationale for pensions and their evolution, before moving on to an explanation of the latest controversies regarding pensions. The glossary of pensions terminology in the final section of the book virtually ensures its place on many academic bookshelves.

    This timely volume is an extremely useful contribution to this important issue. Of use to policy-makers as much as to students and academics of finance and public policy, Understanding Pensions should prove to be a popular addition to the literature.

    Part 1: Pensions: Principles and Practice 1. Pensions and Pension Schemes 2. Public Pensions 3. Changes and Challenges 4. Population Ageing in Britain 5. Occupational Pensions 6. Public Sector Pensions 7. Final Salary Woes 8. Individual Pensions 9. Pensioners' Incomes Part 2: Pensions: Issues and Controversies 1. Population Ageing in Perspective 2. Living and Working for Longer 3. Of Ponzi Schemes and Pension Funds 4. Taxing Funded Private Pensions 5. Annuities and Annuitization 6. The Maxwell Affair 7. The Perils of Self-Investment 8. Solvency, Accounting and Occupational Scheme Closures 9. A Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation for the UK 10. The Personal Pension Mis-Selling Scandal 11. The Equitable Life Fiasco 12. Closing the Pension Savings Gap 13. Simplifying Pensions Part 3: An A-Z of Pensions

    Biography

    Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK.