Description: This section contains multiple book reviews and notices concerning the actuarial profession. Reviews: 'Medical Risks: Patterns of Mortality and Survival' by Singer and Levinson, 'The Theory and Practice of Pension Funding' by Trowbridge and Farr, 'Two Stochastic Processes' by Beekman, 'Disability Income Insurance - Cost Differentials between Men and Women' by New York Insurance Department, 'Social Security and Private Pension Plans: Competitive or Complementary' by McGill, 'A New Look at Accounting for Pension Costs' by Hall and Landsittel, '1977 Annual Reports of the Board of Trustees of the Federal OASDI Trust Funds...,' 'Investigation of Sickness Statistics - Individual Policies, 1971 and 1973' by the Institute of Actuaries and the Faculty of Actuaries, 'The Graduation of Pensioners and of Annuitants Mortality Experience 1967-70' by the Institute of Actuaries and the Faculty of Actuaries, 'Pensions and Survival - the Coming Crisis of Money and Retirement' by Calvert, 'Group Benefits in a Changing Society' by Spencer, 'Experience of Disabled Work Benefits under OASDI 1965-74' by Bayo and Wilkin. Digests also included.

Description: In response to public inquiries into the indexing of pension plan benefits, the financing of defined-benefit plans with fully indexed benefits is explored. A model career-average pension plan is set up with all accrued benefits fully indexed. For different funding conditions, the changes in pension plan surplus are examined under the economic conditions of 1946-1987. The results show that the fluctuations in surplus can be more easily absorbed if the pension plan balance sheet uses market value of assets and a funding objective which is flexibly related to assets and set in terms of a fixed conventional liability and an asset fluctuation reserve. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1992, Vol. 44.

Description: Chairperson's corner for January 2020 In the Public Interest.

Description: Discussion of the pension trust business, including the advantages and disadvantages of using the whole life plan for the basic policy and accumulating an auxiliary fund to supplement the cost of the pension provided by the cash value of that policy. Also discussion of the procedures used to fund pensions for substandard or uninsurable risks.

Description: The Case Against Stock in Corporate Pension Funds

Description: Actuarial Assumptions for Pension Plans Invite Arbitrage The Case of Pension Obligation Bonds by Jeremy Gold from Risks and Rewards Newsletter, September 2000, Issue No. 35.

Description: Paper that discusses a new funding method that would make the recommended contribution for funding purposes for public DB plans subject to an overriding minimum contribution OMC calculation.

Description: This paper, in light of inadequate and misdirected ERISA reforms, offers a new direction in defined benefit plan regulation in the area of plan termination insurance, minimum and maximum finding rules, and plan design restrictions. From The Future of Pension Plan Funding and Disclosure Monograph, M-RS05-1.

Description: The purpose of this paper is to explore pension plan dynamics— – the behavior of a defined- benefit pension plan over time in an uncertain environment. We proceed by simulating the behavior of a model plan in a stochastically varying economic environment. While both the model and its environment are simplified, the model displays interesting behavior suggesting policy considerations that should be included in the design and funding of these plans.

Description: Study of the impact of IRS proposed mortality tables on private sector pension plan costs, including liabilities, contributions and PBGC premiums.