Pensions

[klaus]

Do employers put 12% of gross wage value into a private scheme for employees? The employee then adds to that with what is affordable to him if he wishes to do so. I have mentioned before state pensions are means tested if you have sufficient funds in the bank or a healthy private pension you wont see a brass razoo.
If you fall off the perch on a state pension the pension stops, doesn't go to the spouse like it does in the UK.

You must be in a different country?Australia? ....
In the UK employer only cobntributes if the employee is in the scheme and pay a pre-determined %age.
Don't think the UK state pension goes to the spouse any more, and not means tested that's why company/private pensioners who have paid in sufficient years of "contracted out" NI also get a state pension.