ING CDC Pensioenfonds tries to increase pensions of current and former ING employees and pensioners each year, in line with the price index. An increase will not be possible in 2016. The omitted increase may be granted in a future year.
Indexation of pensions is important, as it ensures that a pension’s spending power is maintained. Once a year, ING CDC Pensioenfonds decides whether or not indexation is feasible in line with the price index for October to October.
No indexation for 2016
By law, indexation is only allowed if a pension fund’s policy funding ratio is higher than 110%. ING CDC Pensioenfonds takes its policy funding ratio on 30 September as a reference point. The policy funding ratio is equal to the average funding ratio for the preceding 12 months. Taking the average ratio ensures that an important decision such as indexation does not hinge on the funding ratio at one point in time.
Given that the policy funding ratio on 30 September 2016 was 104.9%, indexation for the year 2016 is prohibited by law. The fact that ING CDC Pensioenfonds has in place a recovery plan is irrelevant in this respect.
Omitted increase may be granted in the future
If indexation had been allowed, ING CDC Pensioenfonds would have increased pensions by 0.36% in 2016. The fund calculates this percentage based on the overall consumer price index for households in the Netherlands, as published by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) for the months from October 2015 to October 2016.
The omitted annual increase is recorded in the pension fund's accounts. As soon as the pension fund’s policy funding ratio is high enough, the fund will be able to increase pensions to make up for the omitted indexation. This will be the case when the fund’s policy funding ratio is higher than approximately 130%.
Further information
For more information about ING CDC Pensioenfonds’ indexation policy, click here.
If you were employed by ING before 1 January 2014, please click here to read about the indexation policy of Pensioenfonds ING.
Stay informed
You can read all about the pension fund's financial position on our website and in our newsletters. In February, you will receive a letter about the decision not to increase pensions in 2016.
