Pension important topic during job application
84 percent of employees think it is important to discuss the pension plan during a job application. Of them, 31 percent even consider it "very important”. That retirement planning is important for one's personal financial future is agreed by 83 percent. This is according to a survey by Aegon Cappital, part of a.s.r.
The survey of a thousand working Dutch people further shows that worries and uncertainty are increasing due to the new pension system. Calmness and satisfaction are decreasing. In particular, satisfaction with the upcoming, new system (12%) compares sharply with satisfaction with the current system (34%). There is no lack of interest in long-term planning; nine out of ten recognize the importance of setting aside money for long-term goals.
Distant event
However, there is a clear difference in interest between generations and income groups. Among those with a low or middle income (up to 50,000 euros per year), only 43% think they spend enough time planning for retirement. Among people earning more, the figure is 58%. The interest of younger workers is meager compared to older people. For young adults, retirement feels like a distant event that they do not yet care about. This is felt this way by nearly two-thirds of those up to age 55. For the group over 55, it is the exact opposite, where two-thirds say they spend enough time on retirement planning.
Another notable difference occurs in the extent to which people say they know and understand the new pension system. People who are well informed about the upcoming changes in retirement are much more satisfied (37%) than the ignorant (9%). They are also less uncertain (15% versus 28%) and more optimistic (19% versus 9%). Marianne de Boer, CEO of Aegon Cappital: "It is hopeful to see that correctly informed and understandable pension communications are bearing fruit and well-informed people really appear to look at pensions differently. A confirmation and also my call for the industry and social partners to keep doing this."
-
19 Jul 2024a.s.r. real estate launches renewable energy fundOn 1 July 2024, a.s.r. real estate launched the ASR Dutch Green Energy Fund I. The fund has a current size of approximately EUR 400 million and an ambition to grow to EUR 800 million and invests mainly in solar and wind farms in the Netherlands. The fund also offers the possibility to invest in energy storage in batteries. In this way, a.s.r. real estate wants to contribute to the energy transition.
-
27 Jun 2024a.s.r. presents growth strategy and ambitious goals for 2024-2026Today, ASR Nederland N.V. (“a.s.r.”) presents its strategic vision and targets for the 2024-2026 plan period during a Capital Markets Day (CMD) for institutional investors and analysts. The successful acquisition of Aegon Nederland has been a key moment in a.s.r.’s ambition to create a leading insurer in the Netherlands. The new strategy builds on the strong track record of a.s.r. and expresses the confidence management has to capture the opportunities in the Dutch market.
-
26 Jun 2024a.s.r. and the trade unions have reached an agreement on a new collective labor agreement (cao)a.s.r. and the trade unions FNV Finance, De Unie, and CNV have reached a negotiation agreement for a new cao, valid from July 1, 2024, until April 1, 2025. Subject to the approval of a majority of the members of the trade unions, a.s.r. will have a new cao effective from July 1st, with a duration of 9 months.