Wim van de Laar has been on the board of Mars Pension Fund since 2003. He now makes himself available for another 4-year term.

Are you building up a pension at Mars Pensioenfonds? If so, you receive a Uniform Pension Overview (UPO) every year. Your UPO gives an insight in your pension situation. You can view your UPO online on our website at 'My Post', should you not have the paper version within reach.

... you want to retire earlier? The standard retirement age is 67, but you can start your pension earlier. There are, however, a number of things you need to take into account.

The Dutch pension system is under pressure. Major causes are low interest rates, an aging population and the fact that people are living longer and therefore need to receive pensions for longer.

Price developments may affect the composition of a particular portfolio, as a result of which it may temporarily deviate from the Life Cycle and Self-Directing Investing. This is checked once a year and adjusted if necessary.

The interest addition for the ARP plan for the second half of 2016 has been set: for active participants it is 3.51%. For former participants, this is 0.00%. In the first half of 2016, this was - for both active and former participants - 3.60% (annualized).

These are turbulent times for pension funds. The investment results are disappointing and we are dealing with a low market interest rate. Nevertheless, the financial situation of Mars Pension Fund is still reasonable. I would like to take you through the current developments and their financial consequences for our pension fund.

... you get married or enter into a registered partnership? And if you start living together? What is then arranged for your pension? And do you have to do anything yourself?

On March 30, 2016, the Seniors Club was updated on Mars Pension Fund.

Did you notice? We have changed the look of Mars Pension Fund's digital newsletter. Our research from last year showed that the digital newsletter did not score very well on 'attractiveness'. Reason enough for the Pension Communication Committee (PCC) - on which I sit on behalf of the Oud-Beijerland office - to improve this. We hope that this design will be to your liking!