Description: The standard for measuring retirement income adequacy has been the final earnings replacement rate (usually targeted at 70%). But - does it work?

Description: Article Book Review by Ray in The Actuary, January 1979, Volume 13, Number 1

Description: The article reviews recent investment performance of stable value compared to other low risk alternatives, discusses current criticisms of the option, and concludes that they are not well founded. Criticism reflects a lack of openness to the full range of stable value contracts available and manager bias against traditional GICs, not a real lack of wrap capacity. Stable value continues to be the pareto superior low risk option.

Description: This paper focuses on when and how we retire.

Description: This session dealt with pension fund investments with respect to the following discussion topics: A. In May, 1962, there was a drastic fall in stock prices. What effect, if any, did this have on a objectives as to the proportion of pension funds invested in equities and b methods of valuing equity pension assets for pension- fund valuation purposes? B. Where pension funds are invested in a pooled or commingled account what special problems are encountered in asset valuation for pension-fund valuation purposes as distinguished from investments held in an individual separate account or trust?

Description: This paper establishes a framework to analyze the volatility of corporate profits as a result of variability in accounting for pension plans. It models a Canadian corporation that maintains a defined-benefit pension plan and that has adequate cash flow to fully fund the pension plan, should it wish. Volatility of corporate profits is important because many senior executives have some component of their compensation directly related to corporate profitability and consequently do not want any surprises with respect to actual profits compared to expected profits. The volatility management techniques considered are investment policies for the pension plan, funding the pension plan, and an alternative plan design. The analysis is timely since changes are proposed to the accounting standards to eliminate most smoothing techniques. The results suggest that, depending on the investment environment, reduced volatility may be accompanied by by enhanced return, which is a result that few would expect.

Description: Investment volatility can lead to unacceptable levels of contribution volatility and wide swings in a retirement plan’s perceived funded status. This paper approaches the volatility problem from a plan design perspective.

Description: The abstract for a paper that focuses on when and how we retire.

Description: A supplemental report conducted in 2009 to contrast results of the 2008 study, 'Will Retirement Assets Last a Lifetime'? It discusses retirees confidence in having sufficient assets to fully fund their retirement, their willingness to take risk, efforts to control spending and their use of financial advisers.

Description: This article is a summary of the roundtable discussion with a group of panelists on how to appropriately measure public pension plan liabilities. The crux of the debate is whether public pension plans should disclose a market value of liability - MVL - or whether current disclosures are adequate.