Description: This article discusses the proper slope of mortality tables, especially at the high attained ages.

Description: This is an article on statutory maximum valuation interest rates, the second of three articles outlining the new Model Valuation and Nonforfeiture Laws.

Description: The Actuary Vol. 22, No. 7. This article discusses the activities and goals of the Product Development Section of the SOA. Future activities will include joint sessions with other sections since product development issues sometimes relate to financial reporting. reinsurance, investments and nontraditional marketing.

Description: The Canadian Institute of Actuaries held a panel discussion on product innovation at its June 1981 meeting. This article consists of edited excerpts from a document that was distributed in advance to stimulate discussion, and some remarks on the discussion that took place. This article discusses some of the products developed in response to the current high and volatile interest rate environment, such as flexible premium policies annuities and insurance and adjustable single premium policies.

Description: This paper applies the research in Prospect Theory of Kahneman and Tversky to explain why sales of annuities lag sales of life insurance products. The author theorizes that life insurance is easier to sell because customers perceive themselves to be in the domain of losses, while potential annuity customers perceive themselves to be in the domain of gains. Kahneman and Tversky showed us that people are mostly risk averse in the domain of gains and risk seeking in the domain of losses. Purchase of an annuity or life product is a risky investment. Customers will find it easier to take the risk in the life insurance domain of losses than the annuity domain of gains. The author then proposes a hybrid life annuity product that might address both mortality and longevity risk in one product that would allow both products to be more competitive than stand-alone products.

Description: The rules governing the tax treatment of distributions from life insurance or annuity contracts are complex. Worse, the relevant IRC section, section 72, seems at times to be the product of a conspiracy in restraint of understanding.

Description: This is a table from an article in The Actuary Magazine entitled A Strategic Analysis of the U.S. Life Insurance Industry Part II: Products.

Description: Updates on partial annuitization and exhanges, prevailing CSO valuation mortality tables, disclosure of offshore accounts through FATCA.

Description: This article discusses how small companies, by staying simple and focused and not taking immeasurably disastrous risks, bring sanity to an insane world.

Description: This article summarizes the key changes to VM-31 requirements in the 2020 version of the Valuation Manual for both life and variable annuities, and compares and contrasts the requirements for each. In addition, the article offers insights into common issues and recommendations for VM-31 reports from the viewpoints of a regulator, consultant, and company actuary.