Lithuania may raise retirement age to 67

Pension reform has been a contentious issue in Lithuania given its aging population. Photo by Sco.

Pension reform has been a contentious issue in Lithuania given its aging population. Photo by Sco.

VILNIUS — As part of a range of social security changes to be implemented soon, the Lithuanian government has announced plans to raise the retirement age to 67 within the next 20 years.

The government said the changes were to come to terms with what the social security system would look like 30 to 40 years. Currently the retirement age for women is 60, while men work until they are 62.5 years of age. The reforms must be approved in the [private_supervisor]Lithuanian parliament before taking effect.

The government said the change to the retirement age is one of eight that would be implemented one-by-one.

Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius confirmed that the changes would take place and that “some benefits available to pensioners today would not be there for new pensioners.”

Kubilius made the comments about first and second pillar pension funds on local television.

“We consistently seek to be likely to increase retirement age to 65 years. This will be done over a period of time, probably the next few years. But we continue to see, and the fact that in most European countries, and perhaps with greater degree of social welfare, are moving towards 67 years of age,” the prime minister said.

Life expectancy is slowly increasing in Lithuania, but currently Lithuanian men have one of the shortest life spans in the EU at 66 years — for those born today — a year short of the projected retirement age.

Lithuanian women born today are expected to live until their 78th birthday.

The change would mean that Lithuania follows Estonia, which recently moved to up its retirement age up to 65, over the life expectancy of Estonian men.[/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]Lithuanian parliament before taking effect.

The government said the change to the retirement age is one of eight that would be implemented one-by-one.

Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius confirmed that the changes would take place and that “some benefits available to pensioners today would not be there for new pensioners.”

Kubilius made the comments about first and second pillar pension funds on local television.

“We consistently seek to be likely to increase retirement age to 65 years. This will be done over a period of time, probably the next few years. But we continue to see, and the fact that in most European countries, and perhaps with greater degree of social welfare, are moving towards 67 years of age,” the prime minister said.

Life expectancy is slowly increasing in Lithuania, but currently Lithuanian men have one of the shortest life spans in the EU at 66 years — for those born today — a year short of the projected retirement age.

Lithuanian women born today are expected to live until their 78th birthday.

The change would mean that Lithuania follows Estonia, which recently moved to up its retirement age up to 65, over the life expectancy of Estonian men.[/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]Lithuanian parliament before taking effect.

The government said the change to the retirement age is one of eight that would be implemented one-by-one.

Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius confirmed that the changes would take place and that “some benefits available to pensioners today would not be there for new pensioners.”

Kubilius made the comments about first and second pillar pension funds on local television.

“We consistently seek to be likely to increase retirement age to 65 years. This will be done over a period of time, probably the next few years. But we continue to see, and the fact that in most European countries, and perhaps with greater degree of social welfare, are moving towards 67 years of age,” the prime minister said.

Life expectancy is slowly increasing in Lithuania, but currently Lithuanian men have one of the shortest life spans in the EU at 66 years — for those born today — a year short of the projected retirement age.

Lithuanian women born today are expected to live until their 78th birthday.

The change would mean that Lithuania follows Estonia, which recently moved to up its retirement age up to 65, over the life expectancy of Estonian men.[/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year]Lithuanian parliament before taking effect.

The government said the change to the retirement age is one of eight that would be implemented one-by-one.

Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius confirmed that the changes would take place and that “some benefits available to pensioners today would not be there for new pensioners.”

Kubilius made the comments about first and second pillar pension funds on local television.

“We consistently seek to be likely to increase retirement age to 65 years. This will be done over a period of time, probably the next few years. But we continue to see, and the fact that in most European countries, and perhaps with greater degree of social welfare, are moving towards 67 years of age,” the prime minister said.

Life expectancy is slowly increasing in Lithuania, but currently Lithuanian men have one of the shortest life spans in the EU at 66 years — for those born today — a year short of the projected retirement age.

Lithuanian women born today are expected to live until their 78th birthday.

The change would mean that Lithuania follows Estonia, which recently moved to up its retirement age up to 65, over the life expectancy of Estonian men.[/private_subscription 1 year]

— This is a paid article. To subscribe or extend your subscription, click here.

Leave a Reply

*

ADVERTISEMENT

© 2010 Baltic Reports LLC. All rights reserved. -