Description: This essay explores the role that the emerging defined contribution retirement system may be playing in the growth of wealth inequality in the United States. The current system leaves many Americans with little or no retirement savings. Those with higher accumulation levels appear to invest proportionally more in equities, which may have an exponential effect of balances over long time periods. The author hypothesizes that willingness to take investment risk involves the relationship between the amount an investor has accumulated and what she/he needs in order to cover basic costs of living. This is one reason that investors with greater accumulation levels may be able to earn higher rates of return. The essay concludes by suggesting that the U.S. defined contribution system should include all workers and provide additional fiduciary guidance. Examples reforms, both in the U.S. and other countries, are provided.

Description: Chairperson’s Corner by Bruce Cadenhead from Pension Section News, September 2001, Issue No. 47.

Description: This article from the Chairperson's Corner, discusses change affecting retirement and social security. From Pension Section News, April 2005, Issue No. 58.

Description: A summary of resources for Pension Actuaries. From Pension Section News, April 1998, Issue No. 36.

Description: This paper is a follow-up to the papers in the January and April 2005 editions of the Pension Forum, which focused on the interest assumptions to be used in pension funding. This paper focuses on the other assumptions used to calculate pension liabilities—mortality, early retirement and expense. From Pension Section News, April 2006, No. 61.

Description: Soon you receive the Council’s postcard announcing our new strategic project to Re-envision Retirement. Anyone who works with pension plans has seen more defined benefit plans freeze in the last few years. From Pension Section News, April 2006, Issue No. 61.

Description: In this article, the Chairperson talks about the activities of the Pension Section.

Description: This is the chairperson's column and suggests ways retirement practitioners can participate in and contribute to the SOA. From Pension Section News, June 2004, Issue No. 55.

Description: Details on the contest for naming the Pension Section newsletter. From the Pension Section News, September 2008, Issue No. 68.

Description: In her final Chairperson’s Corner, Cindy Levering provides readers an update on some of the initiatives that the SOA and Pension Section Council are engaged in and some recent changes to the Pension Section News.