European country with sensible retirement options, similar to the US?

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In the US, you invest in a mostly US-based stocks and bonds portfolio. Even if you invest in global companies, most of them are US-based global companies. Even if the American soul sees the future gloomy, overall, I'm positive about the long term outlook of the US economy. In fact, as a non-American, I consider the US as still the safest investment destination with the most upward potential. You know the Credit Suisse Global Investment Returns Yearbook all well.

Enter Europe. Only after you drew the conclusions from Credit Suisse. As I understand, even if you are a resident of such a developed European nation like Switzerland, your compulsory retirement contributions go to weird things like Swiss real estate (papers in Swiss real estate). WTF? I understand governments want to enforce some kind of home country bias to try to protect their economies, but it's not good for the end user. Not everyone can invest in the biggest and safest economy, that is, the United States. Or can?

I wonder about the policies of different European countries on this important issue. Where is the citizen more free to invest her retirement wherever she wants it (in the US), even if it's against her country's interest? Yeah, I know: it's complicated.

[dbm]

As an Australian, I look at the American system and think it's quite restrictive, you look at the Swiss system and think it's restrictive.

In Australia, you can choose any retirement product you want and your employer has to pay your contributions there. You can setup a self managed version, do the admin, investment, taxes yourself. People can buy art, golf club memberships, actual precious metals, as well as shares, etfs, funds, etc.

Plus all the pre and post tax monies are held in the same account.

Everyone who works in Australia receives contributions, I think the Swiss system is the same. Whereas in the U.S., you have to have any employer who offers a plan and hopefully they offer a good plan.

I would be interested to see the percentage levels of working adults with sufficient retirement savings between different countries.

Everyone works within the system they are in... Don't like the investments in your pension, save and invest your post tax dollars in assets you want.

Btw Swiss property has done very well in the last decade or so. Although like Australia it may have run too hard for too long, but we'll see.

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In Australia, you can choose any retirement product you want and your employer has to pay your contributions there. You can setup a self managed version, do the admin, investment, taxes yourself. People can buy art, golf club memberships, actual precious metals, as well as shares, etfs, funds, etc.

Letting financially illiterate people (the majority of any country's population) roam totally free with no control whatsoever about such a crucial issue of their lives is a recipe for the average person's retirement worth much less than it could, that is, if she simply bought an index and didn't touch it. Maybe I wanted to say disaster. How much control is preferable (by the government saving the average Joe from his stupidity) is of course, up to a debate.

I'm not familiar with the details of the Australian situation, though (the population's financial literacy) and the worth of the average pension compared to the above, simple scenario.

Everyone works within the system they are in... Don't like the investments in your pension, save and invest your post tax dollars in assets you want.

And I would like to do it with favorable taxes, if at all possible. Heck, isn't this the distinctive feature of a retirement plan, or at least should be, compared to any other savings (investment)?

https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/retirement-options-for-europeans-living-in-multiple-countries-through-life/

Btw Swiss property has done very well in the last decade or so. Although like Australia it may have run too hard for too long, but we'll see.

It depends on which price you jumped in. A 10-year good period means nothing for an average 40-year plan. Buying a specific country's real estate is like stock piking. I find it dangerous.

Thanks for your insights on Australia, though! I'm not sure if the American system is the best, but sure, it's a dominant country and information about its system is the most visible online for general searches.