Description: The Internal Revenue Service issued its seminal ruling interpreting Internal Revenal Code section 7702A[c][3][B][i], commonly referred to as the Necessary Premium Test [NPT]. The purpose of the NPT is to shelter certain death benefit increases from material change status, avoiding the 7 pay test's reapplication on their account.

Description: A memorial for a great tax actuary and colleague, Ed Robbins

Description: Congress has acted in recent years to remove outdated provisions governing the federal income taxation of life insurance companies from the Internal Revenue Code. In particular, section 809 and section 815 were repealed and suspended, respectively, in 2004. This article chronicles the demise of these provisions and explains why Congress was right in removing them from the Code.

Description: The American Council of Life Insurers provides an update on recent tax-related ACLI activity. Topics in this issue include (1) the NAIC's Principle-Based Reserves (PBR) Review Working Group and its exposed revisions to the Annual Statement Blanks; (2) ongoing communications with the Internal Revenue Service and Treasury to seek published guidance on PBR; (3) an update on tax reform activity in Congress; (4) the framework for change issued by the NAIC's Variable Annuities Issues (E) Working Group; and (5) the ERISA Advisory Council's development of model notices and disclosures for pension risk transfers.

Description: TAXING TIMES recently sat down with a group of retired tax actuaries to hear about how they got involved in actuarial tax matters and how their tax experience impacted their careers. Their insights will be useful for actuaries who are just starting out in the profession, as well as more seasoned actuaries.

Description: A discussion about the Taxation Section goals and accomplishments including meetings, webinar program, volunteering and research activities.

Description: On June 26, 2013, the Supreme Court released its decision in the case of United States v. Windsor, Executor of the Estate of Spyer, et al. addressing the constitutionality of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”). This article explores the implications for life insurance and annuity contract spousal provisions that are governed by federal law.

Description: On April 24, 2015, Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published proposed regulations (REG-108214-15) that provide guidance regarding when a foreign insurance company’s income is excluded from the definition of passive income under Section 1297(b)(2)(B). The proposed regulations are directed at hedge funds that purport to establish a foreign reinsurance company in an effort to avoid treatment as a passive foreign investment company (PFIC), but could have unintended consequences for traditional insurance companies.

Description: The Wells Fargo case highlights the importance of creating and preserving documentation establishing actuarial and legal foundations for return positions.

Description: Notice 2004-611 is the latest in a series of administrative pronouncements from the Internal Revenue Service related to the appropriate mortality assumptions to be used in computing the definitional limitations under Internal Revenue Code Section 7702 and the seven-pay limitation under the Section 7702A modified endowment rules.