Description: This paper considers two principles which at present are given little weight in accounting for investments: 1. the reported earnings of a business entity should not change solely because an investment is sold at a capital gain or loss and the proceeds are reinvested, and 2. the accounting treatment of common stock investments should not vary according to the portion of the issuer's outstanding common stock which the investment represents. The implications of these principles are explored in accounting for bonds, stocks and business combinations. A discussion of this paper is included.

Description: This paper examines five alternative valuation methods - prospective, retrospective, global, intermediate, and static - for the proper application of GAAP to Medicare supplement insurance. The focus of this paper is on the changes to expected future claim costs due to changes in the Medicare deductibles.

Description: Various methods of accounting for a block of in-force business acquired at the time of purchase have been proposed and used. This paper describes nine such methods, analyzing each by the use of a very simple model office. Followed by submitted discussions of the article

Description: Existing actuarial literature does not provide a consolidated comparison of the available alternatives for accounting for universal life. This paper will analyze the similarities and differences between the existing prescribed method and the proposed alternatives. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1987, Vol. 39.

Description: The American Academy of Actuaries identified two general approaches to the purchase accounting problem in its Interpretation I-D. The approaches are referred to therein as the defined initial reserve method and the defined valuation premium method, and the Interpretation does not show favoritism toward one or the other. This paper submits a 'best' method, arrived at through the following steps: 1. The purchase accounting problem is defined, 2. The effects of the defined initial reserve method and the defined valuation premium method on the ensuing profit projection and resulting balance sheet are examined, and 3. One method is shown to be the most consistent mechanically and most consistent with generally accepted accounting principles 'GAAP'. Finally, this paper discusses a few of the considerations in setting the actuarial assumptions to be used for purchase accounting. The task is slightly less difficult when using the method suggested as best. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1982, Vol. 34.

Description: This paper examines several methods for dynamically adjusting expense assets to reflect differences between actual and expected persistency. Discussions of the paper are included.