{"id":2035,"date":"2025-01-16T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-16T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/?p=2035"},"modified":"2025-10-24T07:56:16","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T07:56:16","slug":"retirement-income-systems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/?p=2035","title":{"rendered":"Is the United States Falling Behind in Retirement Income?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most developed countries have some solution for caring for their aging population. Known as \u201cretirement income systems,\u201d these include combinations of investment accounts, pensions, and social security. The health of these programs has a huge impact on the quality of life for seniors.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mercer<\/span><\/a> is a global leader in retirement and investment outcomes. Each year, <\/span>Mercer grades retirement income systems<\/span><\/a> in different countries on three criteria: adequacy, sustainability, and integrity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adequacy is a measure of the benefits themselves and how well they provide for seniors. Sustainability estimates how well the programs will continue to provide in the future. Integrity refers to the confidence that the systems will be able to provide what they promise and not suddenly go bust.<\/span><\/p>\n

You can\u2019t move to another country in retirement and enjoy the benefits of their system, but you can move to a country with a lower cost of living, which will improve the personal adequacy of your retirement benefits.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mercer uses these numbers to generate an overall grade for each program. Here\u2019s a ranking of retirement income systems, including the United States\u2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The average grade is C+ (62.9).<\/span><\/p>\n

Netherlands: A<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Twenty20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Netherlands tops the list at 85.0. Mercer says that an A grade denotes a first-class and robust retirement income system.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Netherlands\u2019 best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Iceland: A<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Twenty20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Iceland is indexed at 83.5. Iceland\u2019s best score is in adequacy, and its worst score is in integrity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Denmark: A<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Denmark is indexed at 81.3. Adequacy and sustainability are tied for Denmark\u2019s best scores, and its worst score is in integrity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Israel: A\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Twenty20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Israel is indexed at 80.8. Israel\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in adequacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Australia: B+\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Australia is indexed at 77.3. Mercer says that a B system has a sound structure, with many good features but some areas for improvement.<\/span><\/p>\n

Australia\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in adequacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finland: B+\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Finland is indexed at 76.6. Finland\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Singapore: B+\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Twenty20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Singapore is indexed at 76.3. Singapore\u2019s best score is in adequacy, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Norway: B\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Norway is indexed at 74.4. Norway\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sweden: B\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Twenty20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sweden is indexed at 74.0. Sweden\u2019s best score is in sustainability, and its worst score is in adequacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

United Kingdom: B\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Twenty20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The United Kingdom is indexed at 73.0. The United Kingdom\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Switzerland: B\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"most
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Switzerland is indexed at 72.0. Switzerland\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in adequacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Canada: B\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Canada is indexed at 70.2. Canada\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ireland: B\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ireland is indexed at 70.2. Ireland\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chile: B\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"Chile
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chile is indexed at 69.9. Chile\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in adequacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Uruguay: B\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Uruguay is indexed at 68.9. Uruguay\u2019s best score is in adequacy, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Belgium: B\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Belgium is indexed at 68.6. Belgium\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

New Zealand: B\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

New Zealand is indexed at 68.3. New Zealand\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Portugal: B\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Portugal is indexed at 67.4. Portugal\u2019s best score is in adequacy, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Germany: B\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Germany is indexed at 66.8. Germany\u2019s best score is in adequacy, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kazakhstan: C+\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Twenty20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kazakhstan is indexed at 64.9. Mercer says that a C system has some good features but also major risks and\/or shortcomings that should be addressed and that without these improvements, its efficacy and\/or long-term sustainability can be questioned.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kazakhstan\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in adequacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hong Kong SAR: C+\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hong Kong is indexed at 64.0. Hong Kong\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in adequacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

United States: C+\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The United States is indexed at 63.0. The United States\u2019 best score is in adequacy, and its worst score is in integrity.<\/span><\/p>\n

United Arab Emirates: C+\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The United Arab Emirates is indexed at 62.5. The United Arab Emirates\u2019s best score is in adequacy, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Colombia: C+\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Colombia is indexed at 61.9. Colombia\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

France: C+\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

France is indexed at 61.7. France\u2019s best score is in adequacy, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Spain: C+\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"best
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Spain is indexed at 61.6. Spain\u2019s best score is in adequacy, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Croatia: C+\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Twenty20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Croatia is indexed at 60.3. Croatia\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in adequacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Saudi Arabia: C\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Twenty20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Saudi Arabia is indexed at 59.5. Saudi Arabia\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Poland: C\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Poland is indexed at 57.6. Poland\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Italy: C\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Twenty20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Italy is indexed at 56.3. Italy\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Japan: C\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Japan is indexed at 56.3. Japan\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Malaysia: C\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Twenty20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Malaysia is indexed at 56.0. Malaysia\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in adequacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brazil: C\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brazil is indexed at 55.7. Brazil\u2019s best score is in adequacy, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Peru: C\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Peru is indexed at 55.5. Peru\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

China: C\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

China is indexed at 55.3. China\u2019s best score is in adequacy, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mexico: C\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mexico is indexed at 55.1. Mexico\u2019s best score is in adequacy, and its worst score is in integrity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Botswana: C\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Twenty20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Botswana is indexed at 54.5. Botswana\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in adequacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

South Africa: C\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Twenty20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

South Africa is indexed at 54.0. South Africa\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in adequacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Taiwan: C\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Twenty20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Taiwan is indexed at 53.6. Taiwan\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in adequacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Austria: C\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Twenty20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Austria is indexed at 52.5. Austria\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Austria is the worst performer on the list for sustainability. The country has recently made a massive push for immigrant workers to supplement its declining workforce. A declining workforce means fewer young workers are available to contribute to the pension system.<\/span><\/p>\n

Indonesia: C\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Indonesia is indexed at 51.8. Indonesia\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in adequacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

South Korea: C\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Twenty20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

South Korea is indexed at 51.2. South Korea\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in adequacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

South Korea is the worst performer on the list for adequacy, suggesting current benefits aren\u2019t sufficient.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thailand: D\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Twenty20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Thailand is indexed at 46.4. Mercer says that a D system has some desirable features but also major weaknesses and\/or omissions that need to be addressed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thailand\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Turkey: D\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Twenty20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Turkey is indexed at 46.3. Turkey\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in sustainability adequacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

India: D\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

India is indexed at 45.9. India\u2019s best score is in integrity, and its worst score is in adequacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Philippines: D\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Twenty20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Philippines is indexed at 45.2. The Philippines\u2019 best score is in sustainability, and its worst score is in integrity.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Philippines is the worst performer on the list for integrity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Argentina: D\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Argentina is indexed at 42.3. Argentina\u2019s best score is in adequacy, and its worst score is in sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n

10 Countries Where You Can Retire With $2,000\/Month (One Will Make You Say Ooh La La!)<\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Are you looking forward to retirement? Do you imagine peaceful days spent socializing with family and friends, pursuing hobbies, and catching up on things you put off during a long career with limited time off?<\/p>\n

While we all long for those days, you may look at your bank account and bills and wonder if they\u2019ll ever come. If retiring in the U.S. feels unattainable, there are options for moving abroad that may be within your budget.<\/p>\n

\u27a4 10 Countries Where You Can Retire With $2,000\/Month<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Dying with Dignity: Best Countries for Seniors & End-of-Life Care<\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of our Instagram follower asks, \u201cIn [the U.S.], the late\/end of life system is designed to bankrupt you and your family while providing dismal care. If someone is living on a limited income but would like to live in a country that provides affordable senior care with dignity, where can they go?”<\/span><\/p>\n

Duke University created a study on end-of-life care and published an article called \u201cWhere is the Best Place to Die?\u201d Their results ranked the U.S. 43rd of the 81 countries considered, based on criteria they created with 1200 experts and 181 palliative care experts. These were the 10 best countries for seniors:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u27a4 Dying with Dignity: Best Countries for Seniors & End-of-Life Care<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

10 Countries Where You Can Retire With Just $150,000 in Savings<\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The median amount that Gen Xers have saved for retirement is $40,000, with as few as seven years left before reaching the retirement age of 65. The good news is that with a little hard work, you can still find a comfortable retirement abroad.<\/p>\n

In these countries, you can fully retire with $150,000 in savings, or even less if you collect social security payments.<\/p>\n

\u27a4\u00a010 Countries Where You Can Retire With Just $150,000 in Savings<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Best Places to Retire in the World: 15 Countries for American Retirees<\/h2>\n
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Photo Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While US citizens have traditionally lagged behind other countries in moving abroad, the trend seems to be shifting. As they reach retirement age, Americans seek to stretch their monthly pension and social security. They want to find affordable countries with high quality medical care that won\u2019t bankrupt them. Retirees want to embrace local culture or find retirement destinations that aren\u2019t so politically divided.<\/p>\n

\u27a4 Best Places to Retire in the World: 15 Countries for American Retirees<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Most developed countries have some solution for caring for their aging population. Known as \u201cretirement income systems,\u201d these include combinations of investment accounts, pensions, and social security. The health of these programs has a huge impact on the quality of life for seniors. Mercer is a global leader in retirement and investment outcomes. Each year, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1793,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[65,19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2035","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-communitiesretirees","category-cost-of-living"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2035","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2035"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2035\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2041,"href":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2035\/revisions\/2041"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1793"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2035"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2035"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expatsi.devstudio.work\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}