Communication about the allocation of assets or the answer to the question: will my pension grow or shrink?

“Communication needs to explain current and new pension allocations”

Under the new Dutch Pension Act, collective assets will be allocated to individual assets. This will take place during a transition period. Pension providers are legally obliged to inform participants in advance about what these changes mean for them. The intention is that every interested party will be able to compare the expected pension in the current and new schemes to gain an impression of the impact of the changes. In this article, we present a framework that will enable providers to shape their communication about this reallocation process before the transition period comes into force. We indicate which goals can be pursued and how these can be achieved. Finally, we provide concrete communication recommendations.

Key Takeaways for the Industry

• Involve communication experts at an early stage in the financial and legal decision-making about the transition.
• Communications should emphasise that pension projections are uncertain in both the current and new systems and that a balanced transition is sought.