Description: In this presentation, session number 10PD at the 1999 Annual Meeting of the Society of Actuaries held October 17-20 in San Francisco, the panelists discuss their experiences with asset valuation methods. Topics include characteristics of an effective asset valuation method, the extent to which recent economic activity should influence the smoothing period selected, whether one method smoothes valuation assets more than another, whether different methods for funding and expense make sense, and whether the current asset valuation method is accomplishing its intended purpose. Discussion from participants is included. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 25, No. 3.

Description: Full version of The Pension Forum, August 2001, Volume 13, Issue No. 1.

Description: This paper discusses an asset smoothing technique where the asset values are adjusted based on reasonable investment indices. From The Pension Forum, August 2001, Volume 13, Issue No. 1.

Description: Review of Fifty-Second Annual Report of the Board of Actuaries of the Civil Service Retirement System. The authors found it to be a concise well written report discussing a number of issues facing all pensions in an inflationary economy. Both the title and the dull format in the usual Government Printing Office style would seem to insure this document's instantaneous consignment to dead storage. However, behind the cover of this small pamphlet is a concise, well written report discussing-a-number of the issues facing not only federal pension programs at the present time, but all pensions in an inflationary economy. For example, several of the 11 pages devoted to the main report discuss the implications of static assumptions ignoring inflation as opposed to dynamic assumptions including inflation.

Description: Full version of Pension Section News, August 1998, Issue No. 37.

Description: This panel discussion is from the 1991 Meeting of the Society of Actuaries, held June 3-5 in Colorado Springs. This panel discussion is designed for the experienced pension practitioner. The panelists, using numerical illustrations, discuss how to do calculations to prove nondiscrimination under proposed Internal Revenue Code regulation 401[a][4]. Discussion from participants is included. From the Record of Society of Actuaries Vol. 17, No. 3B.

Description: This paper demonstrates that using a conditional probability approach to analyzing investment data yields investment forecast and stock option pricing models which more closely match actual market data, and it demonstrates the impact that conditional probabilities could have on CAPM beta and risk premia calculations. Reprinted from: Journal of Financial and Economic Practice, Vol. 6 No. 2 Spring 2006.

Description: This session discussion was a primer on hybird pension plans, in particular cash balance plans and age weighted profit sharing plans. Included nondiscrimination issues, IRS issues and communication about the plans to participants.

Description: Panelists discuss issues important to actuaries acting as expert witnesses in legal proceedings, as well as guidelines for the actual presentation of testimony, focusing primarily in the area of pension plans. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 23, No. 1.

Description: Feature article discussing arithmetic means.