Description: This session from the 2003 SOA Spring Meeting discusses current economic conditions and their implications on the funding, plan design and administration of pension plans. It also discusses the role of the FSA and EA in a small consulting firm and the future of consulting actuaries. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Volume 29, No. 2, Session 56pd.

Description: The panel presents the technical details of calculating the deficit reduction contribution as changed by the Retirement Protection Act of 1994. Also covered are the new solvency maintenance requirements and changes to the full-funding limitation. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 21, No. 4a.

Description: Full version of The Independent Consultant Newsletter, October 2006, Issue No. 12.

Description: This article presents an overview of enterprise risk management, ERM, and uses an example to explain the basic concept.

Description: Since the early 1990's, interest rates in the U.S. economy have been declining, thus increasing the liabilities of defined benefit pension plans. Furthermore, after the bull market of the 1990's with its unprecedented returns, the market came to a crashing halt in 2000. Since then, the majority of defined benefit plans have experienced three years of negative returns with some losing more than 40 percent of their value. Analysts have been referring to this combination of declining interest rates and negative investment returns as a 'perfect storm' leading to a pension crisis. This paper discusses how plan sponsors can effectively manage their defined benefit plans during this crisis.

Description: This session explores current practices and techniques that plan sponsors use to address the risks associated with the exercise of fiduciary responsibility. Attendees gain a better understanding of some of the issues that plan sponsors face and discuss the tools that can be used to monitor and manage exposure to risks and uncertainty. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Volume 29, No. 2: Spring Meeting, Vancouver, B.C., June 23–25, 2003, Session 108PD.

Description: Full version of The Independent Consultant Newsletter, February 2006, Issue No. 10.

Description: This session 60PD of Dallas Spring Meeting covers a checklist of how-tos and how not-tos, in the various areas of the operation, such as: structuring your practice, setting business objectives and market strategies, evaluating human and technical resource needs, understanding client needs, keeping up to date with the competition and new ideas, time and financial management. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Volume 27, No. 1, Session 60PD

Description: Panelists re-examine proposals and ideas for pension funding practice and objectives. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 30, No. 3.