Description: This article is about the Society of Actuaries' Education and Examination Research Paper Committee awarding 30 Fellowship credits to Krzysztof M. Ostaszewski, Ph.D., ASA, for his paper, 'Macroeconomic Aspects of Private Retirement Programs.' This is the twelfth such paper approved for Fellowship credit under the SOA’s Future Education Methods program. The paper analyzes possible macroeconomic factors contributing to the decline in the use of defined benefit plans and proposes an alternative hypothesis for the cause of the decline.

Description: This article describes the Joint and Survivor Factor. In defined benefit plans, ERISA requires that the normal form of the pension must be on a qualified joint and survivor basis. If the plan defines the pension in terms of a lifetime pension to the participant only, the lifetime pension must be multiplied by the joint and survivor factor. This article shows what happens to the factor as the interest rate increases.

Description: This article discusses the results of a study sponsored by the Society of Actuaries which demonstrated the different accrual patterns between cash balance and traditional pension plans. From: The Actuary, September 1999 – volume 33 - Issue 7.

Description: Editorial that explores how underlying issues of the economic bubble were actuarial in nature.

Description: Article, written by the Economist and Director of the Research Department of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union, discusses the nature and quality of the CPI and the use of it to adjust pension benefits.