This page will present a list of pension providers catering to expats, with an overview of their background and offerings.
Some of the pension companies covered include:
- Aviva
- Barclays
- BlackRock
- Charles Schwab
- HSBC
- Fidelity
- Zurich Insurance
If you are looking to invest as an expat or high-net-worth individual, which is what I specialize in, you can email me (advice@adamfayed.com) or WhatsApp (+44-7393-450-837).
Investing in pensions require careful planning, regular contributions, and monitoring.
This list of pension providers include major and niche players, as well as firms that aren’t a pension firm in the traditional sense but offer non-traditional pension benefits and services. For expats managing pensions of their employees, we have also included financial services that help with that.
Pension Providers List
Aegon
Aegon is a global financial institution based in the Netherlands, offering life insurance, pensions, and asset management services.
As of December 2023, they stopped accepting new applications for their individual pension product, Retiready. However, they still manage existing Retiready accounts and offer workplace pension plans.
Aegon also provides tools and resources to help individuals assess their retirement needs and get on track for their financial goals.
AJ Bell
AJ Bell is known for its comprehensive investment options and competitive platform and fund fees. Their platform caters to self-employed workers and expats seeking a flexible and transparent pension solution. AJ Bell offers two main pension plans: a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) that gives you control over your investments, and a Retirement Investment Account (RIA) that lets AJ Bell manage them for you.
Allianz SE
Allianz SE is a global insurance and asset management provider based in Germany. It serves customers in more than 70 countries, offering a wide range of insurance products and financial services. They generally fall into two categories: individual annuities, and retirement plans for businesses through Global Pension, which helps manage pension plans for employees across different countries.
Amundi
Amundi is one of Europe’s largest asset managers by assets under management and ranks in the top 10 globally. While Amundi doesn’t directly offer pension products to individuals, it provides institutional services for companies and pension funds. Their Amundi Employee Savings & Retirement division offers a platform for companies to manage employee pension plans across Europe.
Aon Hewitt
Aon Hewitt, part of Aon plc, is a global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement, and health solutions.
The company acts as a consultant for companies managing their pension plans. They offer a suite of services including risk management, investment strategy design, plan administration to ensure compliance, and even facilitating the transfer of pension liabilities to other firms.
Aviva plc
Aviva plc is a British multinational insurance company offering life and health insurance, general insurance, and asset management.
Aviva offers a variety of pension plans in the UK, primarily catering to individuals. These include personal pensions like Stakeholder and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) that give you more control over your investments. They also manage existing Group Personal Pensions for those enrolled through their workplace.
AXA
AXA is a French multinational insurance firm that engages in global insurance, investment management, and other financial services. It is known for its operations in Europe, North America, the Asia Pacific region, and the Middle East.
AXA offers various pension options like annuity, unit-linked plans, and corporate pension schemes around the world, catering to both individuals and businesses.
Barclays PLC
Barclays PLC is a British multinational investment bank and financial services company, with a significant presence in retail, wholesale, and investment banking, wealth management, and investment management. Currently, they focus on facilitating Self-Invested Personal Pensions. This means you manage your own investments within the SIPP, choosing from a wide range of assets.
Bestinvest
Bestinvest provides a Self-Invested Personal Pension account that acts as a wrapper, allowing you to choose and manage your own investment choices within the pension plan for retirement. Their SIPP is designed to cater to individuals who want to take a hands-on approach to their pension investments while benefiting from a wide selection of investment choices and competitive fees.
BlackRock Inc.
BlackRock Inc., is an American global investment management corporation based in New York City. It is the world’s largest asset manager, with $8.67 trillion in assets under management. BlackRock offers a range of investment strategies across asset classes (stocks, bonds, real estate, etc.) aimed at helping your pension funds achieve their long-term investment goals for their plans.
BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas is a French international banking group and one of the largest banks in the world. It offers a wide range of financial services, including asset management and investment solutions. BNP Paribas Cardif, their insurance division, offers pension savings plans in some locations, while BNP Paribas Asset Management provides investment solutions for pension funds.
BNY Mellon
BNY Mellon is a global investments company providing investment management, investment services, and wealth management services.
Their BNY Mellon Investment Management arm offers investment strategies for institutions and individuals managing pension funds, helping them design and manage portfolios. Additionally, their global custody services act as a secure vault for pension fund assets, ensuring the safety of the investments that ultimately fund retirement payouts.
Bourse Pension Trustees
Bourse Pension Trustees is a UK-based company offering a comprehensive range of pension solutions and trustee services. They don’t offer their own pension products, but specialize in facilitating transfers for those living abroad.
Bourse Pension helps set up Qualified Recognized Overseas Pension Schemes (QROPS) and Qualifying Non-UK Pension Schemes (QNUPS) to potentially retain tax benefits. They also handle day-to-day administration, ensuring compliance and accurate records, and provide an investment platform for managing pension funds within these schemes.
Canada Life
Canada Life offers Registered Retirement Plans (RPPs), which are tax-advantaged employer-sponsored plans or Retirement Income Funds to individuals while businesses have the option to set up Workplace Pension Plans with payroll deductions and potential employer matching contributions.
Their platform is designed to accommodate the diverse investment needs of self-employed workers and expats, making it an appealing choice for those seeking a robust and varied investment portfolio within their pension.
Charles Schwab
Charles Schwab is an American multinational financial services company offering banking, investing, and wealth management advisory services.
They offer various Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) with tax benefits, along with investment guidance and educational resources to help you navigate your choices. Their automated investing options can manage your IRA portfolio, while their Personal Defined Benefit Plan caters to self-employed individuals seeking high tax-deductible contributions.
Citigroup
Citigroup is a global diversified financial services holding company providing a broad range of financial products and services to consumers, corporations, governments, and institutions. Citi Global Perspectives offers businesses expertise in managing pension plans, while some Citigroup subsidiaries, like certain regional Citibanks, provide retirement planning consultations or resources to help individuals chart their own course for retirement security.
Concept Group
Concept Group Guernsey, located in the Channel Islands, caters to individuals with international retirement goals through their “Aurora” brand. They offer Qualifying Non-UK Pension Schemes and International Plans, potentially with tax benefits, and competitive personal pension options through Retirement Annuity Trusts (RATS), like their popular Aurora Islander plan.
Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank, headquartered in Germany, is a global investment bank with a strong presence in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Deutsche Bank’s Asset Management division offers investment solutions and services to external pension funds and institutions. This could involve managing investment portfolios or providing risk management solutions to help these funds achieve their long-term goals for their pension plans.
Embark Pensions
Embark Pensions is part of the Embark Group, a UK-based financial services provider with a strong focus on retirement products and investment services. Embark Pensions offers two main SIPPs: the Option SIPP and the Full SIPP.
The Option SIPP is designed for those who want a simpler, more affordable plan with standard investments. The Full SIPP offers more flexibility and control, with access to property investments and a wider range of investment options.
Fidelity Investments Inc.
Fidelity Investments, commonly referred to as Fidelity, is an American multinational financial services corporation based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the largest asset managers in the world. Fidelity does not offer traditional pension plans, but they provide a variety of Individual Retirement Accounts like Traditional, Roth, and Rollover IRAs, as well as retirement planning tools and managed income solutions.
Franklin Templeton
Franklin Templeton Investments is a global investment management organization known for its mutual funds and investment services. Franklin Templeton offers products like the Franklin India Pension Plan, a hybrid fund that invests in a mix of equities and fixed income, aiming to provide steady returns and tax benefits.
Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs is a global investment banking, securities, and investment management firm that provides a wide range of financial services to a substantial and diversified client base. This includes consulting and investment management services to companies sponsoring defined benefit pension plans.
HSBC Global Asset Management
As part of the HSBC Group, one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organizations, HSBC Global Asset Management specializes in providing investment solutions to institutions, financial intermediaries, and individual investors, and partnering with pension schemes, typically large institutional plans, to design and manage their investment portfolios.
Interactive Investor
Interactive Investor itself doesn’t offer its own pension plans, but instead acts as a platform for SIPP, allowing you to choose how to invest your pension contributions across a wide range of options including stocks, funds, ETFs, and even foreign currency.
Invesco
Invesco is a global investment management firm that offers a wide array of investment products and services to clients worldwide.
In the US, they focus on Individual Retirement Accounts and employer-sponsored retirement plans like 401(k)s, while in Hong Kong, they provide the Invesco Strategic MPF Scheme, a master trust scheme, and the Invesco Select Retirement Fund for the Occupational Retirement Schemes Ordinance (ORSO) market. They also offer Flexible Voluntary Contributions for additional retirement savings within their MPF scheme.
iPensions Group
iPensions Group offers pension administration and consultancy services, focusing on innovative retirement solutions.
Their SIPPs cater to a range of needs, from the Core SIPP with restricted investment options for a simpler approach, to the Platform SIPP with a vast selection of investment funds for greater control. They also offer a Shariah-compliant option and SIPPs designed for specific purposes like commercial property investment (Property SIPP) and for USA residents (USA SIPP).
IVCM
IVCM Pensions is renowned for its expertise in offering retirement solutions that cater to the needs of expatriates and individuals working abroad. Their pension plans are designed to be flexible, allowing clients to manage their retirement savings effectively, regardless of their location.
J.P. Morgan Asset Management
As part of JPMorgan Chase & Co. J.P. Morgan Asset Management works with pension funds, providing investment strategies and asset management services to help these plans grow and meet long-term payout needs for their participants. While not retail products, J.P. Morgan also offers target-date retirement fund series aimed at defined contribution plans, which some employers might offer to their employees.
Legal & General
Legal & General offers a personal pension solution designed to provide a transparent and accessible platform for self-employed workers and expats.
Legal & General offers two main types of pension products: Workplace Pensions for employees saving through their employer’s scheme and Personal Pensions for individuals looking to manage their own retirement savings. For retirees, Legal & General also offers options like Pension Annuities for guaranteed income and Pension Drawdown for more flexibility in accessing your retirement pot.
LIC International
LIC International is part of the Life Insurance Corporation of India. It offers two main pension plans targeting individuals in Bahrain and possibly surrounding regions. These are Deferred Annuity Plans, where you contribute a lump sum or regular premiums that grow over time, and then upon retirement, you begin receiving a fixed regular income for a chosen period or throughout your lifetime.
They also offer an Immediate Future Secure Pension Plan where you pay a single premium and receive pension payments right away, with options for spouse continuation and return of purchase price under certain circumstances.
Lincoln Financial Group
Lincoln Financial Group focuses on employer-sponsored retirement plans like 401(k)s and 403(b)s. They act as a record-keeper and investment provider for these plans, offering various investment options and educational resources for participants to build their retirement savings. Lincoln Financial also provides annuities, which can be used to convert a lump sum retirement payout into a guaranteed income stream in retirement.
Lombard Odier
Lombard Odier is one of the oldest private banks in Switzerland and specialize in managing retirement assets for clients there. They focus on maximizing returns within the Swiss pension framework, utilizing strategies like vested benefit asset management and “bel étage” buy-in plans for senior management. They also partner with PensExpert to provide clients access to a wider range of tailored pension solutions.
Manulife Financial Corporation
Manulife Financial Corporation is a Canadian multinational insurance company and financial services provider.
Manulife Financial offers various retirement savings products under the umbrella of Manulife Retirement in some regions, like the Philippines. These products cater to different needs. For example, FutureBoost Retirement helps with steady accumulation, while Manulife Freedom provides guaranteed payouts alongside growth potential.
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual)
MassMutual offers a wide range of financial services including life insurance, disability income insurance, long term care insurance, retirement/401(k) plan services, and annuities. They offer group annuity contracts for employers looking to provide retirement benefits to their employees.
Mercer
Mercer is a global consulting leader in talent, health, retirement, and investments. They act as a consultant and service provider for organizations sponsoring pension plans, helping design and manage both Defined Benefit (DB) and Defined Contribution (DC) plans. They also provide tools and resources to plan sponsors and participants to navigate the complexities of retirement saving.
MetLife Inc.
MetLife, Inc., is among the largest global providers of insurance, annuities, and employee benefit programs, with a significant presence in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. They help companies manage their Defined Benefit Pension risks through buyouts and reinsurance.
Additionally, MetLife offers annuity products that individuals nearing retirement can utilize to convert their retirement savings into a guaranteed income stream for their golden years.
Momentum International
Momentum International is part of Momentum Metropolitan Holdings Limited, a South African based financial services group. They offer various QROPS options in jurisdictions like Malta, Gibraltar, and the Isle of Man.
Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley is a global financial services firm that offers a wide array of investment banking, securities, investment management, and wealth management services. They manage pension assets for companies through Morgan Stanley Investment Management.
Natixis Investment Managers
Natixis Investment Managers is a part of the French corporate and investment banking group Natixis. It offers a range of investment solutions from its global network of independent investment managers, with a focus on serving institutional investors like pension funds and insurance companies to help them grow their retirement plan assets and meet long-term payout needs for participants.
New York Life Insurance Company
New York Life Insurance Company is one of the largest life insurers in the world. New York Life doesn’t offer traditional individual pension plans, but they have two main ways to help with retirement income: Cash Balance Pension Plans, employer-funded plans which can include annuities for guaranteed income; and Pension Risk Transfer Solutions, which is for companies looking to offload their pension obligations. New York Life takes over management of the plan, ensuring a steady income stream for retirees.
NN Group
NN Group, focusing on the Netherlands and some European markets, offers pension products through its subsidiary, NN Life. They cater to both employers and individuals. For employers, NN Life provides group life and pension plans for small and medium businesses as well as large corporations. Individuals can enroll in these employer-sponsored plans, or NN Life offers individual life insurance products with pension benefits through their closed block.
Northern Trust
Northern Trust is a provider of wealth management, asset servicing, asset management, and banking services. They specialize in helping pension funds, from traditional plans to frozen ones, with various services. This includes risk management through experienced actuaries, optimizing investment selections for better retirement outcomes, and efficiently managing the trade lifecycle of plan assets.
Northwestern Mutual
Northwestern Mutual offers financial planning, life insurance, long-term care coverage, and disability insurance, along with annuities, investments, and wealth management services. They offer IIRAs for tax-advantaged savings, annuities to convert retirement savings into a guaranteed income stream, and investment products to grow your retirement nest egg.
Novia Global
Novia Global provides a platform offering to the international financial advice market for a UK SIPP scheme. Through their platform, you can choose from two SIPP options – a simpler, lower-cost plan with standard investment choices, or a more flexible option with access to a wider range of investments, including property.
Pacific Life
Pacific Life offers a wide range of life insurance products, annuities, and mutual funds to individuals, businesses, and pension plans. They focus on helping companies manage their existing Defined Benefit pension plans. They offer a range of de-risking solutions, including buyouts, transfers, and a unique type of insured Liability Driven Investment (LDI) strategy.
Pantheon Pension Trustees
Pantheon Pension Trustees is a UK-based firm specializing in the provision of trustee services for pension schemes. They offered QROPS designed for individuals who left, or planned to leave, the UK. However, it’s important to note that Pantheon Pension Trustees went into administration in February 2024, so their QROPS products are no longer available for new applications.
Pension Bee
Pension Bee offers a user-friendly and transparent personal pension solution for self-employed workers and expats. Their platform allows for easy consolidation of existing pensions and provides a range of investment options. Pension Bee’s emphasis on simplicity and accessibility makes it an attractive option for those looking for a straightforward pension management experience.
PGIM (Prudential Global Investment Management)
PGIM, the global investment management business of Prudential Financial, Inc., offers a wide range of investment solutions to institutional and retail clients across the globe. They manage investment portfolios for pension funds and other retirement plans, aiming to grow assets and provide strong risk-adjusted returns to meet long-term payout needs for plan participants.
Principal Financial Group
Principal Financial Group is a global financial investment management and insurance company that offers a wide range of financial products and services including retirement solutions, insurance, and investment management.
Their main focus is on Defined Contribution plans like 401(k) and 403(b) plans, helping companies set up, manage, and administer these plans for their employees. They also offer Pension Risk Transfer solutions for companies seeking to offload their existing Defined Benefit pension obligations.
PSGS Limited
PSGS specializes in SIPPs designed for UK residents seeking a tax-efficient way to save for retirement. They offer several SIPP options, including the Keyring SIPP for those wanting a straightforward plan, the Unity SIPP for clients advised by deVere Group, and the Open SIPP for maximum flexibility in investment choices.
Royal London Group
Royal London Group is the largest mutual life, pensions, and investment company in the UK. Individuals can set up a personal pension plan with flexible contribution options and investment choices. They also offer drawdown options for accessing your retirement pot flexibly after retirement. For workplaces, Royal London provides group personal pensions, stakeholder pensions, and company pension plans.
Schroders
Schroders is a global investment management firm headquartered in London. They focus on providing investment solutions for companies sponsoring pension plans. They cater to both Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution plans, offering investment strategies and asset management expertise.
Scottish Widows
Scottish Widows is part of the Lloyds Banking Group and is one of the most recognized financial services brands in the UK. It offers life insurance, pensions, and investment products. Scottish Widows offers two main pension products in the UK: Personal Pensions and Retirement Accounts.
Sovereign International
Sovereign International specializes in retirement planning for expats and internationally mobile individuals. They don’t offer their own pension plans directly, but focus on QROPS and SIPPs, with which they offer various options catering to different needs and risk tolerances.
Standard Life Aberdeen plc
Standard Life Aberdeen plc (now known as abrdn plc) is a global investment company based in Scotland. They focus on institutional investment solutions for companies sponsoring pension plans. They provide a range of investment funds suitable for both Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution plans.
State Street Global Advisors
State Street Global Advisors is the investment management division of State Street Corporation and the world’s third-largest asset manager.
It offers a broad array of investment strategies and tools to institutional investors worldwide, and focus on serving large institutional investors like pension funds. They specialize in managing investment portfolios within these plans, offering a wide range of strategies across asset classes like equities, fixed income, and alternatives.
STM Group
STM International is a multi-jurisdictional financial services group listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange.
Their main focus is on SIPPs for UK residents and life assurance solutions for international clients. These SIPPs offer flexibility in investment choices, allowing you to manage your retirement savings within a tax-efficient structure. Their life assurance products with a “wrapper” function can hold various investments, potentially providing additional benefits like life insurance coverage.
Sun Life
Sun Life Financial is an international financial services organization providing insurance, wealth, and asset management solutions to individual and corporate clients. It has a significant presence in Canada, the United States, Asia, and the UK, and offers a variety of retirement savings products depending on your location, including individual retirement plans.
T. Rowe Price
T. Rowe Price is an American publicly owned global investment management firm. They offer a series of target-date retirement funds within IRAs and employer-sponsored plans like 401(k)s. These funds automatically adjust asset allocation based on your target retirement year, becoming more conservative as you near retirement.
TIAA (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America)
Founded in 1918, TIAA is a provider of financial services in the academic, research, medical, cultural, and governmental fields.
It has a strong focus on retirement services for people in these sectors. Their core product is the TIAA Traditional Plan, a defined-contribution plan with options for fixed or variable annuities. These annuities allow you to convert your retirement savings into a guaranteed monthly paycheck throughout your retirement. TIAA also offers IRAs and personal annuities for individuals to save for retirement beyond employer-sponsored plans.
Trireme Pension Services
Trireme Pension Services operates in multiple jurisdictions, offering pension solutions and services designed for international clients. They specialize in overseas pension solutions for individuals who work or live abroad, particularly UK expats. They don’t offer their own branded plans, but act as a provider for Self-Invested Personal Pensions and Qualifying Recognized Overseas Pension Schemes.
UBS
UBS is a Swiss multinational investment bank and financial services company. In Switzerland, they offer pillar 3a retirement savings accounts and vested benefits custody accounts for individuals to save for retirement with tax advantages. For companies, UBS acts as a consultant, designing and managing occupational pension plans that comply with Swiss regulations.
Vanguard
Vanguard is the largest provider of mutual funds and the second-largest provider of exchange-traded funds in the world. They focus on providing low-cost investment options suitable for retirement saving within existing plans. They have a variety of target-date retirement funds that can be used within IRAs or employer-sponsored plans like 401(k)s.
Additionally, Vanguard offers a Personal Pension in the UK, which is a SIPP allowing you to choose your investments for a tax-efficient retirement strategy.
Wellington Management
Wellington Management is a private, independent investment management firm with a focus on asset management.
They provide investment solutions for both Defined Contribution (DC) and Defined Benefit (DB) plans, aiming to achieve strong risk-adjusted returns and grow plan assets. For DC plans, they offer various investment options through collective investment trusts or separate accounts, catering to a range of participant risk tolerances.
Willis Towers Watson
Willis Towers Watson is a global advisory, broking, and solutions company. It specializes in actuarial and investment consulting, particularly in the area of pensions, and advise companies on designing and managing both Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution plans.
Zurich Insurance Group
Zurich Insurance Group is a Swiss insurance company, offering insurance products and services in more than 210 countries and territories. They specialize in company-sponsored retirement solutions for businesses worldwide, like Group Pensions designed for employee savings, and bundled pension and risk solutions for small and medium businesses.
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