Description: The failure of a few large life insurers in the early 1990's led to public concern about the safety of annuities purchased by qualified retirement plans. As a result, the Department of Labor issued guidelines, known as the 'Safest Annuity Rule,' for selecting annuity providers. This study examines whether the Safest Annuity Rule is significantly changing the market for insured annuities issued to tax-qualified pension plans, particularly upon the termination of defined benefit plans. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1997-98 Reports.

Description: This paper explores comparative trends in home ownership versus renters, the associated levels of housing expenditures, and the extent of equity borrowing. The goal is to stress the need in retirement to cover basic housing needs and the risks of using housing for other purposes.

Description: Abstract for the 2009 Housing Wealth monograph paper, “Retirement Implications of Housing Wealth Spending”. This paper explores comparative trends in home ownership versus renters, the associated levels of housing expenditures, and the extent of equity borrowing. The goal is to stress the need in retirement to cover basic housing needs and the risks of using housing for other purposes.

Description: The traditional informal care of/by family has faced increasing geographic and economic challenges from changing family households and sources of family income. Financial planning and risk protection tools provide important resource in the changing retirement landscape toward optimal family support and crisis management, that is, with less duress and financial burden to affected family caregivers. Ultimately, maintaining family values and close communications through evolving family structures are key to a healthy society and economic welfare of the people.

Description: In the early 1990s, when several large U.S. and Canadian life insurers teetered on the brink of insolvency and finally collapsed, the U.S. Department of Labor issued its 'safest annuity' provision [DOL Interpretive Bulletin 95-1] ruling that private pension plans buying annuities had the fiduciary obligation to choose the 'safest available' provider. This article examines the effect this ruling has had on the annuity market.

Description: This article illustrates how today’s retirement system tools have potential to achieve financially secure retirement and lists options for system improvement.

Description: The article presents a retiree's perspective and personal experiences & considerations in managing risks & challenges in retirement distribution.

Description: 1999 SOA Spring Meeting, Atlanta. This session addressed the risks and potential costs of long-term guarantees in some insurance products. Topics included: · Guaranteed annuity purchase rates - how close are current rates to the guarantees? · Guaranteed minimum credited rates. · Guaranteed bonus rates.

Description: Presented at October 1996 Annual Meeting. Now that plan sponsors are required to purchase only the “safest available” annuities, companies encounter a number of difficulties when they attempt to terminate a defined-benefit plan. This session addresses the lack of available insurers and the resulting effect on competition, a situation in which the plan sponsor may have difficulty finding any insurer to take plan benefits, the effect on prevalence of lump-sum distributions, and the role of the PBGC as insurer of last resort.

Description: Full version of Pension Section News, October 1999, Issue No. 41.