China), China), United States). Definition: There are remarkable differences in pension systems around the world today. The roles of families, employers, trade unions, financial intermediaries, community organizations, constituencies, and government agencies vary widely. Despite these differences, in almost every country the government is ultimately the ultimate pension provider, either explicitly or implicitly. If a government pension system is well designed and well managed, it can improve the wellbeing of those it supports and even contribute to the resilience of the financial system as a whole. However, if poorly designed or poorly managed, it can undermine economic security at both the micro and macro levels. An annuity contract is an insurance contract that specifies the plan's contributions to an insurance company for which the plan's benefits will be paid when members reach the specified retirement age or when members leave the plan earlier.