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Comment by chinathrow

7 hours ago

Your pension fund, yes.

This comment makes even less sense than jotras’ comment.

Pension funds buy shares in businesses such as Microsoft. The money going into the pension fund is not typically a function of the tax paid by companies such as Microsoft, but rather from a combination of actuaries’ recommendations, payroll tax receipts, and politicians’ priorities.

Therefore a pension funds’ equity holdings, such as Microsoft, doing well means taxes can be lower.

  • If only my country (Germany)’s pension fund was capital/stock based.

    • Most countries' broadest defined benefit pensions are just simple wealth redistribution schemes from workers to non workers as opposed to being paid from funds that were previously invested.

      In the USA, Social Security defined benefit pensions are cash from workers today going to non workers today, same as Germany's national scheme (gesetzliche Rentenversicherung?).

      The other defined benefit benefit pension schemes are what are usually invested in equities, and the investment restrictions section in this document indicate Germany's "occupational pensions" can also invest in equities. (page 12)

      https://www.aba-online.de/application/files/2816/2945/5946/2...