Description: Is Risk/Return a sound tool for decision-making? No. It is not consistent, not objective, distorts decision and degrades governance. Why? What shall we do then?

Description: Target volatility, as an investment strategy, has been used by many funds not only as a way to smooth return but also as a way to manage risks of the VA guarantees. Contrary to existing research which favors volatility targeting over fixed allocation, this article shows that because of the existence of market jump risk, target volatility strategy does not necessarily offer an improved risk profile for VA writers. Further, target volatility coupled with leveraging can significantly increase tail risk for insurance companies.

Description: This essay advocates that the transition from DB to DC plans won't be complete until plan sponsors offer programs of retirement income in their DC plans. The essay discusses the relevant actuarial and behavioral issues.

Description: How assumptions like market returns and variable like saving rate should be incorporated into sound financial planning. How to analyze retirement readiness.

Description: This discussion is on asset management for an insurance company, including issues of varying investment strategies for different product lines through various asset segmentation approaches, management of the assets supporting surplus, and asset/liability risk management considerations

Description: This panel at the SOA 1982 Spring Meeting in Colorado Springs presents a discussion on the implications of allocating specific assets to particular lines of business. The panel examines both the introduction and the management of specific allocation procedures and how the principal methods work in practice.

Description: The authors explore major points of the exposure draft (ED) of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). At the same time, they explain the differences between the FASB ED and the ED published nearly simultaneously by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB).

Description: Argues public plans should only hold bonds, on the basis of tax and finance arguments.

Description: This articles explains why many corporations are making massive reductions in risk related to their pension plans despite the fact that this means locking in costs at a time of historically low interest rates. This should help actuaries working with pension plans or pension investments advise clients on investment strategies and other approaches to de-risking.

Description: The impact of Fed’s QE program on the financial markets has been enormous and profound. The tapering and the eventual removal of the stimulus will be equally enormous and profound, and may be disruptive. To adapt to the potential regime change in near future, some investment strategies have been proposed: (1) shorten duration to focus on the short end of the yield curve and create laddered portfolios; (2) reduce allocation to high yield bonds; (3) rotate out interest rate sensitive sectors such as utilities; and (4) use interest rate derivatives to hedge the interest rate uncertainties lying ahead. On the other hand, contrarians who see the QE program continuing may stay the course and consider (1) adding duration, (2) gaining exposure to high yield bonds, and (3) increasing allocation to utilities and telecoms.