Description: This paper is to some extent a sequel to my previous paper A Bond Manager's Method for ALM published in Actuarial Research Clearing House Volume 1993.3. It borrows from that paper the concept of benchmark weights for measuring the sensitivity of the present value of a set of cash flows to changes in interest rates. However, a completely different approach to calculating benchmark weights is presented.

Description: The author encourages the use of sound actuarial principles to develop reasonable retirement spending budgets instead of rule of thumb approaches commonly used.

Description: This presentation from the 1983 SOA Vancouver Meeting covers the actuaries' role in matching assets and liabilities, hedging, disintermediation risk and determining the appropriate level of surplus, the future of products with market value cash out adjustments and indexation in the construction of long term debt instruments. From Record of Society Of Actuaries Vol. 9. No. 3

Description: The Investment Symposium is a day-and-a-half long seminar that will focus on the issues and questions faced by investors and risk managers, especially related to insurance companies and retirement plans. Presenters will discuss the big picture issues and explore practical solutions to today’s challenges. Experts will share new approaches to portfolio management and cutting edge research in asset-liability management. Technology, regulation and the economic environment will

Description: In this paper, chapter III of the 1987 Valuation Actuary Handbook, the authors discuss building a liability model to evaluate the C-3 risk. The article discusses the data and assumptions needed, and the importance of sensitivity testing given that the model results are very sensitive to the assumptions used.

Description: Summary of research project designed to document method to credit interest rates to account value based products. The investment year method (IYM) can theoretically align with investment strategy and be fair to policyholders. These products were designed in the 1980s with guaranteed nominal rates above what is currently accessible so most products credit the guaranteed rate. This paper documents how it could be resurrected during the next interest rate cycle.

Description: This paper was published as chapter II of the 1987 Valuation Actuary Handbook. The authors discuss basic tools for analyzing cash flows, including duration, scenario testing and accumulation vs. present value approach. Discounting of cash flows is discussed including the limitations of using a level interest rate. The final section discusses discounting of interest sensitive cash flows, including a discussion of the disadvantages and advantages of duration analysis. The paper concludes that “duration analysis cannot replace traditional simulations analysis but should be seen by the valuation actuary as a valuable adjunct.”

Description: The author previously wrote about extending the general nonparallel shlft approach to duration analysis. This paper explores the immunization properties of that model. In addition, applications to asset-liability management are explored. From Actuarial Research Clearing House 1990 VOL. 2.

Description: 1992 SOA Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C. This session discussion was about the performance measurement in a risk/return context, incentive compensation as a tool for achieving effective performance, and return attribution using liability-based performance indices.