Description: The Employee Retiree Income Security Act, or ERISA, establishes an important statutory role for pension actuaries in the United States. As part of its statutory goal to protect the retirement security of America’s workers, ERISA requires tax-qualified defined benefit plans to obtain an actuarial valuation of plan reserves each year. When valuing the plan’s reserves, the actuary is required by ERISA to act on behalf of plan participants. Thus, the plan actuary fulfills an important role in maintaining the plan’s ability to meet its on-going obligations to the plan participants and their beneficiaries. From Pension Section News, April 2006, Issue No. 61.

Description: Article discussion information to included in an engagement letter and suggestions on how to negotiate them with clients.

Description: This presentation is a panel discussion, session number 26PD, from the 2002 Valuation Actuary Symposium, held September 19-20 in Lake Buena Vista, FL. The Enron scandal is likely to result in a more transparent disclosure of balance sheet liabilities. The panelists provide a professional/legislative update and offer pragmatic tips to valuation actuaries about how to respond effectively to increased scrutiny. They discuss the Corporate Accountability Act and the increased oversight of the accounting profession that will result, and the implications for actuaries working in accounting firms. They emphasize the importance for actuaries to be aware of the higher standards of independence and the need to follow actuarial standards of practice. Discussion from participants is included.

Description: Full version of Pension Section News, Issue No. 61, April 2006.

Description: Presented at 1995 Valuation Actuary Symposium. Presents updates from the NAIC and its Life & Health Actuarial Task Force, and the Actuarial Board for Counseling and Discipline.

Description: Article offers ideas on how actuaries in small firms can address theri litigation risk in rational, cost-effective ways.

Description: 1994 SOA Spring Meeting, Orlando. This session is about professional responsibility, qualification standards, ethical standards and standards of practice.

Description: Presented at September 1995 Valuation Actuary Symposium. This session is about professional standards and the appointed actuary.

Description: 1993 SOA Annual Meeting, New York. This session is about practice notes. The panelists debated the value of them and then discussed being aware of our legal liability.

Description: Presented at October 1996 Annual Meeting. Using case studies, representatives of various actuarial boards and committees discuss examples of how an actuary can run afoul of actuarial standards and what happens when he or she does.