March 8, 2010 | Global Pensions

Brazil – a country renowned for samba, carnival, and a history of economic boom – has re-entered the spotlight of the international pension arena. Characterized by its long history of final-salary defined benefit occupational pension plans, Brazil resisted the Chilean model of individual defined contribution accounts and worldwide pressures by the World Bank to follow this model. 

Mature pension system

With a social security system dating back to 1923 and implemented occupational pension plans for more than one hundred years, the South American country offers very mature occupational pension plans and large funds. “In 2009, both occupation and open pension schemes accumulated together around US$306bn in assets, equivalent to 18% of the GDP. This is the eighth largest level of pension assets accumulation [as a percentage of GDP] right after the US, the UK, Japan, Netherlands, Canada, Switzerland and Australia, and the first position among developing countries,” stated International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) senior social protection adviser, Vinicius Pinheiro.  Brazilian private pensions encompass both occupational plans established in recent years that cover for example private corporate and unions or associations (Previdência Complementar) and individual savings plans. 

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