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Welcome to the Retirement Practice Community

The Retirement Practice Community unites actuaries working across retirement systems, social insurance, and public finance to collaborate, innovate, and share expertise. Formed by merging the former Retirement Section and Social Insurance and Public Finance Section, it offers a single forum for addressing retirement challenges, advancing policy discussions, and shaping best practices for the future of retirement security.

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Curated Content

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Article
May 2025
A Review of the Article “Principles in the Design of an Optimal Retirement Income Security System" by Robert L. Brown, FCIA, FSA, ACAS, FIA (Hons), Ph.D.
This article reviews a paper developed by Rob Brown on the optimal design of retirement income security systems. The article intends to move readers to read Brown's article and consider how actuaries can play a significant role in the development and evaluation of social insurance policy. This will be of value to actuaries as the profession is presented the opportunity to participate in shaping financial security for all people.
Article
May 2025
Health Care Financing: Exploring a Solution
Inspired by other financial savings products available to Canadians, this article describes a potential solution for financing future health expenses with the creation of a Registered Health Savings Account (RHSA). This solution has been thought on the basis of four premises : 1- Individual Accountability for Health Expenses; 2- Early Savings Leads to More Accumulation; 3-PreferredTax Treatment for Personal Health Savings; 4- Complementing current public and private health systems; Main elements of the RHSA are described (Contributions, Accumulation, Utilization of account, Management by financial institutions).RHSA'S expected balances and some other results under three scenarios (a person in good health, one in poor health, and one with unexpected death at age 45) are summarized in a table. Health expenses deducted yearly from RHSA's balance were estimated using total, per capita, provincial government health expenditures by age-band for Canada, in 2020, from the Canadian Institute of Heath Information’s (CIHI), which account for 71.8% of total expenditures, that is public + private. Thus 28.2% of total expenditures were used for private health expenditures, then forecasted to 2024 and projected using a 4% annual trend. Some objections to the solution explored were anticipated as well as some refutations to these objections.
Web Page
April 2025
What I Have Learned From My Experiences
This article looks at critical points in my life, offers a very brief bio, and then explains how I used the experiences to learn decade by decade. It is motivated by wanting to tell the story of how able I am to contribute to the SOA and other activities at the age of 85. It is motivated by offering this story as a way to motivate others.
Web Page
April 2025
The Advice Challenge
Though some defined contribution plans have added retirement income options in the form of annuities, there is a challenge to retirees in deciding whether to select such options and if so the amount to purchase. This article discusses a variety of considerations that retirees should be aware of when making a decision to annuitize.
Article
January 2025
Essays on “Impact of AI on Retirement Professionals and Retirees”—A Summary
Summary of SoA's call for AI/LLM fiction.
Article
January 2025
Using SOA Research Institute Consumer Research and Consumer Resources: Part 3—Key Resources: Summaries of 25 Years of Research and Consumer Resources
Describes SOA resources for consumers on retirement topics, mostly for people near retirement, and for those in retirement and later in life. Topics include deciding when to retire, Social Security and retirement benefit strategies, Medicare and long-term care strategies, planning for changes later in life. Support resources, finances, health and where to live are key topics, particularly for later in life individuals. Also describes reports summarizing SOA post-retirement risk research by topic. Research includes consumer surveys, essays and commissioned reports. Article also provides insights on how to use information. Source is SOA work. Designed to provide information to actuaries and other potential users of work such as individuals, plan sponsors and financial advisors. Design to help people better understand retirement and retirement planning as well as make better decisions. Very important article since the SOA has been doing work in this area for 20 years and findings are based on the accumulated work.
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Retirement Practice Research

Research is at the heart of every Community. It’s what brings members together to explore ideas, share knowledge, and create insights that move our profession forward. Each Community identifies key topics shaping the future of the profession and research that delivers data-driven insights and practical tools for actuaries. Through meaningful, forward-thinking ideas, the goal is to help members stay current, shape the future of our industry, and apply new insights to everyday challenges.

Aging & Retirement

Long-Term Care

Artificial Intelligence

Mortality & Longevity

Podcasts

Retirement

 

Social Insurance and Public Finance

Subgroups

Joining a Community subgroup gives you exclusive access to peers who share your interests, along with focused discussions, expert insights, and members-only resources. Whether deepening expertise or exploring new areas, these private groups keep you current and engaged while empowering you to shape your specialty’s future alongside other passionate professionals.

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Join the Retirement Practice Community to unlock member-only subgroups with expert insights, targeted resources, and peer connections, your gateway to shaping your specialty, staying ahead of trends, and making an impact.

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