Description: Our ability to think and act quickly serves us well on a day-to-day basis. When we're faced with long-term, impactful decisions, we need to think differently. The very behaviors that enable us to react quickly to our daily work can make us jump to the wrong conclusion when exploring new topics. Cognitive biases--systematic tendencies to derivate from rational calculations--can hinder our abilities to conduct open dialogue and process new and different opinions. A 'de-bias' strategic decision-making process can help take bias out of meetings and lead to better outcomes. The presenters will provide behavioral tools and insights to attendees who need to participate or lead discussions that are part of a big-bet decision.

Description: The presenters in this session will show attendees how to measure surplus risk for a corporate pension plan (or a pension plan where liabilities are valued on a current marked to market yield curve) in several different ways, understand the value of each of those methods, and use the results to make decisions on relevant corporate pension actions such as asset allocation and pension risk transfer. They will also compare LDI strategies between corporate and public pension plans.

Description: The optional phase-in period for life principle-based reserves (PBR) has come to a close, and companies have put in the work to bring their PBR implementations across the finish line. With the mandatory PBR implementation deadline behind them, companies can turn their attention from compliance to model and process improvements. The presenters will outline lessons learned from PBR implementations and their applications to broader use cases, as well as resources that are available for PBR modelers. Discussion topics will include items such as: Model simplifications and validation Model run-time techniques Model scalability (e.g. adding new products / future assumption updates) Sensitivity testing Model projections Available PBR & other modeling resources (e.g. PBR practice note, ASOP 56)

Description: Mortality is a fundamental element in the financial projections of the finances of social security programs around the world. Prominent actuaries from the U.S. Social Security Administration, Canada's Office of Superintendent of Financial Institutions and the U.K. Government Actuary's Department will discuss some of the key factors and issues associated with these projections. Improving mortality has and will have a significant effect on the affordability and importance of income through retirement to many population segments in these countries.

Description: Join us for the Health Section Breakfast (for Lunch) where you will hear an update on the activities of the Health Section Council. Then, Mark Ishaug will discuss social determinants of health and its impact to actuaries and our work.

Description: In this session, the following essays from the Society of Actuaries Living to 100 Call for Essays are presented. Essays: Potential for Mortality Improvement from Cognitive and Psychological Factors – Gordon Woo, – Ph. D. How Growing Inequality in the United States Makes Long-Term Care Financing Reform A Lot Harder – Karl Polzer – MPA Alcohol and Mortality, Sam Gutterman, FSA, CERA, FCA, FCA, HONFIA, MAAA

Description: Two recent SOA research projects will be discussed. The first covers analysis of the drivers of mortality that shaped trends in US mortality. The second will look at using causes of death to predict future mortality improvements

Description: In this session, panelists discuss the rationale behind aging research. They will explore recent demographic and biological insights. They will then explore when those breakthroughs could happen, what would their impact be on our understanding of mortality and mortality rates and the effect on different groups. Finally, it will be a chance to have your questions answered by that eminent set of panelists.

Description: Papers: Does Migration Result in Mortality Improvement: A Case Study in Taiwan – Chih-Kai Chang – Feng Chia University; Jack C. Yue – National Chengchi University; Yen-Wen Chen – Feng Chia University Mortality Trends – An International Perspective – Adrian Gallop, FIA – Government Actuaries Department