Comparative Analysis of Variable Payment Life Annuities: Lessons for Canada from the Netherlands

Barbara Sanders, Simon Fraser University

Jean-François Bégin, Simon Fraser University

senior couple looking and pointing at a laptop screen

Options for Emerging Retirement Pension Vehicle

Variable Payment Life Annuities (VPLAs) are a small but growing part of the pension decumulation market in Canada. As legislative changes pave the way for broader adoption, the direction policymakers choose will determine whether established players broaden their offerings and whether new players emerge. This report draws insights from the evolving VPLA landscape in Canada and the Netherlands in order to mitigate risks associated with incentives, product design, communication and regulation, and enable VPLAs that serve Canadians’ retirement needs.