Description: The two basic considerations in a pension plan valuation are the choice of actuarial cost methods and actuarial assumptions. This paper deals with the assumptions. The concern in this regard is what actuaries are doing and why. There are explicit criteria why particular assumptions are chosen, and these have often been discussed in the pension literature. However, there also are implicit criteria, which, while seldom discussed in the literature, can dominate the valuation. The goal of this paper is to quantify some of these criteria, and thereby provide a basis for further discussion and research.

Description: The objective of this paper is twofold. First, a pedagogical approach is taken to derive the pension plan gain and loss formulas by extending the mathematical theory underlying the actuarial funding methods. It is the author's intent to emphasize the similarities between gain and loss formulas developed for individual funding methods and the formulas developed for aggregate funding methods. Indeed, the formulas are fundamentally identical. The second objective is to afford the reader an opportunity to reinforce understanding by providing two comprehensive numerical examples and analyzing actuarial experience by source. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1981, Vol. 33.

Description: This paper demonstrates how, under the projected benefit cost methods whereby the gains are reflected in the normal cost rate, gains determined at a given valuation date are amortized over the future working lifetime of the active employees included in the valuation as of that date.

Description: This annual update to the RPEC_2014 model and corresponding mortality improvement scales reflects historical U.S. population mortality experience through 2016.

Description: This annual update to the RPEC_2014 model and corresponding mortality improvement scales reflects historical U.S. population mortality experience through 2016.