In 2023, about 17.7 percent of the American population was 65 years old or over; an increase from the last few years and a figure which is expected to reach 22.8 percent by 2050. This is a significant increase from 1950, when only eight percent of the population was 65 or over. A rapidly aging population In recent years, the aging population of the United States has come into focus as a cause for concern, as the nature of work and retirement is expected to change to keep up. If a population is expected to live longer than the generations before, the economy will have to change as well to fulfill the needs of the citizens. In addition, the birth rate in the U.S. has been falling over the last 20 years, meaning that there are not as many young people to replace the individuals leaving the workforce. The future population It’s not only the American population that is aging -- the global population is, too. By 2025, the median age of the global workforce is expected to be 39.6 years, up from 33.8 years in 1990. Additionally, it is projected that there will be over three million people worldwide aged 100 years and over by 2050.

In the decade after the 2008 financial crisis, pension providers across faced challenging conditions thanks to interest rates falling to historical lows, affecting the returns on fixed-income investments, like bonds. Revenue is expected to drop at a compound annual rate of 2.6% over the five years through 2025 to €517.9 billion, including a forecast climb of 2.5% in 2025. Profit has also edged downwards due to higher interest rates and geopolitical tensions hitting equity and bond markets, though the average industry profit margin still stands strong, at an estimated 43.7% in 2025. Pension providers invest the contributions of policyholders into investment markets like bonds and equity, with the aim of making sure their assets can meet their liabilities – the benefits paid to retirees. Pension funds invest heavily in bond markets due to their relatively low risk and low volatility. However, this type of fixed-income investment has struggled since 2022 in the rising base rate environment, which saw yields skyrocket and bond prices plummet, hitting investment income. Despite interest rates coming down over the two years through 2025, bond values have remained extremely volatile, creating difficulties in calculating long-term planning and solvency of funds. Bond markets have also been clouded by ongoing uncertainty surrounding upcoming rate cuts and trade tensions, eroding investment income. Equity markets have experienced a similarly volatile period over recent years, with investors pricing rate cuts at the tail-end of 2023, inciting hefty capital flows, and supporting investment income for funds exposed to the asset class. In 2024, US equities performed particularly well due to the dominance of big-tech firms and the excitement surrounding AI. However, Trump’s erratic policies has incited a shift away from US markets in 2025, aiding pension funds with exposure to European markets, which are seen as less risky. Revenue is anticipated to climb at a compound annual rate of 6% over the five years through 2030 to €691.5 billion, while the average industry profit margin is estimated to swell to 45.3% in 2030. The shift towards Europe markets is set to continue in the short term. However, governments must be proactive in taking measures to capitalise on this demand. This would involve the expansion of a safe investment base of sovereign bonds jointly issued by euro members, overcoming the investment headaches that traditionally arose from fragmented national government bond markets and creating a liquid market for pension funds to exploit, aiding investment income. However, an ageing population will remain a concern for pension providers as more people retire and claim their retirement benefits, ratcheting up liabilities.