Pension Systems

Global Pension Support

Plan in Decades includes numerical models for several pension and retirement-account categories. Each model represents a limited set of contribution, tax, growth, and access assumptions.

Supported Systems

Australia - Superannuation

New Australian super accounts use an editable annual total return after investment tax and investment fees. Dividends and capital growth are already included; administration costs and insurance can be entered separately. Employer and employee contributions, contribution tax, caps and withdrawal access remain separate calculations.

The same editable net return applies throughout the scenario, including retirement. It does not establish a tax-exempt pension phase. Older accounts automatically receive the editable 6.1% net-return assumption. Existing net-return inputs are kept.

Read Australian Super Assumptions for the return definition, account costs, conversion process and the separate retirement-age and present-value settings.

USA - 401(k) and Roth IRA

The US models provide separate account categories with different calculation mechanics:

401(k)

• Employee and employer contribution inputs
• Contribution limits represented in the model
• Tax-deferred calculation treatment
• Modelled withdrawal timing

Roth IRA

• User-entered contributions
• Contribution limits represented in the model
• A distinct tax-treatment setting from the 401(k) model
• Modelled withdrawal timing

UK - Workplace Pension

The UK workplace-pension model includes employee and employer contribution inputs, contribution limits represented in the model, tax treatment, growth assumptions, and modelled access timing.

New Zealand - KiwiSaver

KiwiSaver uses editable gross earnings and capital-growth inputs, with individual PIE tax calculated separately using initial annual income, then completed simulated income years. ESCT applies to employer contributions, and dated configuration supplies government matching rates and caps. Read KiwiSaver Calculation Methodology for the inputs, calendar-year approximations, fees and eligibility assumptions.

Using Pension Systems in Scenarios

When creating a scenario, the user selects the country and account type to model. Plan in Decades then:

1. Apply the rules represented by the selected model
2. Estimate tax effects covered by that model
3. Apply the selected growth assumptions over time
4. Show the modelled access timing
5. Include the account in the scenario’s numerical results

These models simplify legislation, tax, fees, eligibility, access conditions, and product terms. They do not determine eligibility, select an account or contribution level, or establish the treatment that applies to a particular person. Review the displayed assumptions and limitations before interpreting a result.