Description: A glossary of terms.

Description: This paper explores a range of public policy issues stemming from proposals to introduce some form of defined contribution system into Social Security in the U. S. and Canada. From In Defense of Pay-as-You-Go Paygo Financing of Social Security, M-RS99-1.

Description: In the face of profound, worldwide changes in demographic, family, and lifestyle patterns, this paper introduces a dynamic social security system deemed most suitable for accommodating these changes.

Description: This is the fourth paper on n-year roll forward reserve financing of public benefit systems, especially Old-Age, Survivors and disability Insurance OASDI, prepared by University of Michigan faculty and students. As the papers have developed, some ideas have been simplified, while others have become more complex. It is concluded that the theoretical model requires further attention. This research can be extended to expand our knowledge of OASDI financing and the applicability of n-year roll forward reserve financing.

Description: This paper defends the concept of raising the minimum age for collecting Social Security benefits from the present 62 to age 65. From The Old-Age Crisis - Actuarial Opportunities - The 1996 Bowles Symposium, M-RS99-1.

Description: This paper suggests that two opposing pressures are at work in the United States. One is the limit to the number of retired adults that the nation can support. The other is the growing diversity of needs and desires of older people and employers. These two opposing pressures will frame the issues of the future.

Description: Paper focuses on the situation in Canada. First examined are the factors behind rising health-care costs resulting form two phenomena:changing cohort size and lower mortality among the elderly. Second examined are the are effects of lower than forecast mortality on pay-as-you-go systems. From 2005 Living to 100 and Beyond Monograph, M-LI05-1.

Description: Estimation of hazard rates at extremely old ages poses serious challenges to researchers: 1 The observed mortality deceleration may be at least partially an artifact of mixing different birth cohorts with different mortality heterogeneity effect 2 Standard assumptions of hazard rate estimates may be invalid when risk of death is extremely high at old ages 3 Ages of very old people may be exaggerated. In this paper we propose an alternative approach, which gives an opportunity to resolve the first two problems by compiling data for more homogeneous single-year birth cohorts with hazard rates measured at narrow monthly age intervals. Possible ways of resolving the third problem of hazard rate estimation were elaborated.

Description: Estimation of hazard rates at extremely old ages poses serious challenges to researchers: 1 The observed mortality deceleration may be at least partially an artifact of mixing different birth cohorts with different mortality heterogeneity effect 2 Standard assumptions of hazard rate estimates may be invalid when risk of death is extremely high at old ages 3 Ages of very old people may be exaggerated. In this paper we propose an alternative approach, which gives an opportunity to resolve the first two problems by compiling data for more homogeneous single-year birth cohorts with hazard rates measured at narrow monthly age intervals. Possible ways of resolving the third problem of hazard rate estimation were elaborated.

Description: Transcript of Session 3A from the 2008 Living to 100 Symposium discusses the use of mortality in social insurance systems in the US and Canada.