Why The U.S. Retirement System Gets A C+ Rating

The U.S. retirement system received a C+ from the Mercer CFA Institute 2024 Global Pension Index, trailing countries like the Netherlands and Australia. According to the report, the U.S. system struggles with low participation, early withdrawals and lack of mandatory contributions, which drag down its performance. Watch the video above to see how global retirement strategies compare across countries and explains what reforms might boost the U.S. grade.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:36 Low coverage in the U.S.
6:23 Preventing leaks
10:16 System designed for the country it serves

Produced by: Charlotte Morabito
Edited by: Andrea Miller
Animation by: Jason Reginato, Mallory Brangan
Senior Director of Video: Lindsey Jacobson
Additional Footage: Getty Images

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Why The U.S. Retirement System Gets A C+ Rating

Post from CNBC on August 29, 2025

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