Description: Private defined benefit pension plans must, by law, pre-fund the retirement benefits. This requires the periodic valuation of liabilities and calculation of contributions. Because valuation assumptions are seldom borne out by reality, a surplus [or deficit] ensues and varies over time. When the surplus becomes sizable, there often arises a desire to distribute part of it so as to bring it down to a more reasonable level. This paper provides a brief overview of cooperative game theory and, in particular, sharing rules. Then, using certain sharing rules, it determines how to split the surplus or deficit among the plan participants and sponsor. In general, the participant's share in the surplus depends on the total of his contributions. Other considerations, such as the actual investment income received on his contributions or the years of service, may influence the distribution of the surplus. It may even appear desirable to take account of the accrued liability. From Actuarial Research Clearing House 1998, Vol. 1.

Description: The Society of Actuaries is pleased to make available a research report that investigates defined benefit retirement plan de-risking activities for U.S.-based companies and the relative impact of various implemented strategies.

Description: This discussion examines miscellaneous topics. Topics include actuarial training, final salary pension plans and hospitalization and surgical insurance. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1960, Vol. 12, No. 34.

Description: Recently, we have seen renewed interest in the international (or “offshore”) pension plan. An international plan typically provides benefits for internationally mobile workers of a multinational employer, but can also be used for certain other workers. The plan is usually located in a respected international finance centre.

Description: In a world where pensions for new hires are predominantly provided with defined contribution plans, defined benefit plans have moved in many cases from being a strategic human resource management tool to being a source of volatile historic liabilities and costs that need to be managed downward. While the approaches for dealing with these liabilities broadly consist of risk transfer, settlement or funding, the precise options available will vary by country depending on the local pension framework and legal requirements. Any company with material global pension liabilities would be well advised to monitor these closely, in order to be able to take advantage of opportunities to de-risk, and to ensure that a global pension de-risking budget is allocated to the activities which are expected to yield the best returns for the group.