Description: The purpose of this endeavor was to undertake a research project on term conversion experience with a particular focus on conversion rates and mortality experience of term to permanent converted policies.

Description: This report establishes a new basis for mortality assumptions for retirement programs in the United States.

Description: A new approach to computing annual pension costs, based on an open-group projection of the participant population for a number of years, was described in detail in a paper published in the 1975 Transactions, entitled 'The Forecast Valuation Method for Pension Plans.' That paper described the operation of such a cost method at the initial valuation date. This paper discusses several alternative approaches to projection valuation methods and also describes how costs should be computed at valuation dates after the first one. In addition, the author illustrates projected contributions and asset buildups under both traditional [closed-group] cost methods and projected [open-group] cost methods, for a number of years under a variety of assumptions as to the growth rate of the participant group. Projection valuation methods have not been described heretofore in sufficient detail to make it possible for actuaries to use them on a recurring basis or for the Internal Revenue Service to make a determination as to the acceptability of such approaches for computing tax-deductible pension plan contributions. It is the hope of the author that this paper will fill both of those gaps. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1977, Vol. 29.

Description: Letter to the editor from Mr. Hilary L. Seal, Lausanne Federal Polytechnic School, appearing in the 1979 ARCH.

Description: In this paper a new method of adjusting probabilities of death for short age interval, based on the assumption of a modification in one of the forces of decrement, is developed.

Description: Excess ratio refers to the calculation of expected losses in excess of some stated limit. This paper suggests methods for calculating excess ratios in the practical situation without the laborious calculations which the techniques of Dr. Kahn's paper, 'An Introduction to Collective Risk Theory and Its Application to Stop Loss Reinsurance,' would seem to require, and as an alternative to the Monte Carlo simulation technique which would also seem to be impractical to use on a case by case basis in experience rating.

Description: An analytical basis about national trends and state specific factors that may be driving the auto insurance loss costs.

Description: This paper illustrates a procedure for analyzing the sources of profit under FAS 97 and suggests an analytical procedure for reflecting actual experience and revised future assumptions in the recalculation of the estimated gross profit defined by FAS 97.

Description: In March this year a charter for the new corporation, the College Retirement Equities Fund, was granted by the State of New York and it is expected that within a few months the Fund will begin operations as a supplement to TIAA annuities. The purpose of this paper is to describe this rather novel type of corporation, which presents some unusual and interesting actuarial problems. Comparisons of the performance of fixed annuities vs. variable annuities are provided.

Description: This is the report of the findings from the Retirement Plan Preference Survey.