Description: These 'Notes from the Editor' offer a run-down of topics covered in the August 2011 issue of The Independent Consultant, the newsletter of the Entrepreneurial Actuaries Section.

Description: In this article, the author discusses an estate planning strategy that is extremely effective in an environment of low interest rates and depressed asset values, and was made more attractive by the December 17, 2010 legislation that provides extensive estate tax relief, although only for two years: the Grantor Retained Annuity Trust or GRAT. The articles discusses how a GRAT works, strategy for setting one up, income tax considerations, certain drawbacks, and the need to act quickly, given congress is considering legislation that would impose restrictions.

Description: This is the presidential address by the former SOA president, Edward A. Lew. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1974, Vol. 26, Pt.1, No. 76.

Description: 1974 SOA Meetings, Dallas and Montreal. This paper is the digest of discussions held at concurrent sessions of the referenced meeting. Topics covered: 1. CORPORATE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OF STOCK LIFE INSURANCE COMPANIES. 2. PENSION FUNDING ASSUMPTIONS. 3. DIRECTIONS AND GOALS OF ACTUARIAL RESEARCH. 4. VARIABLE LIFE DEVELOPMENTS. 5. LIFE INSURANCE AND CONSUMERISM. From Transactions of the Society of Actuaries 1974, Vol. 26, Pt.2D, No. 75 AB.

Description: This is a discussion of the Committe on the Future Course of the Society of Actuaries focused on the SOA's ability to express public statements of opinion.

Description: This paper examines the Australian actuarial qualification process from the perspective of what makes a good education system, and notes that there are a number of constraints imposed by the profession that impair the quality of students’ learning outcomes. The paper goes on to suggest how these pitfalls might be avoided in the interests of providing future actuaries with an opportunity to develop the attributes they will need for their professional careers. From Actuarial Research Clearing House, 2006.

Description: This presentation at the Actuarial Research Conference describes summer actuarial science programs for minority high school students and the role they have in the profession's diversity efforts. Expanding the number of such programs is explored.

Description: As part of its ongoing effort to provide useful information on COVID-19, the Society of Actuaries issued a brief survey to its Investment Section members to gain insight as to how COVID-19 is impacting investment professionals. The survey results are intended to help members compare their thinking and future expectations of COVID-19 with their peers.

Description: Read the November 2020 issue of Expanding Horizons published by the Education & Research Section. Newsletters provide practical information for the working actuary, articles on trends that impact sections and news about section activities.

Description: Actuarial modeling has gone through several distinct phases largely defined by the underlying technology platform. Today, cloud computing is again redefining the technology foundations of actuarial modeling and related processes.