Description: This article contains reviews of the following books published in 1992: 1. 'Broken Promises: The Inside Story of the Failure of Executive Life' by Vic Modugno, 2. 'Within the System: My Half Century in Social Security' by Robert J. Myers, 3. 'Insurance Risk Models' by Harry H. Panjer and Godon E. Willmot, and 4. 'Social Security: What Every Taxypayer Should Know' by A. Haeworth Robertson. Notices of Social Security notes and studies are also included. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1992, Vol. 44.

Description: This session discussion is about the national retirement income policy. From Record of Society of Actuaries Vol. 16, No. 1.

Description: This article is about a seminar held on October 30, 1997 to discuss mortality improvement in the NAFTA countries and the impact of such improvements on the financing and benefit adequacy of the countries’ individual social security systems. The gathering of about 80 researchers from a variety of disciplines served as a type of summit meeting on the NAFTA countries’ mortality projections. The seminar was Phase 2 of a three-phase SOA research project, 'Impact of Mortality Improvement on Social Security: Canada, Mexico, and the United States.' The project is intended to provide some guidance for appropriate governmental bodies to use in determining future financing and benefit needs for social security. It is sponsored by the SOA, The Actuarial Foundation [formerly the SOA Foundation], the Retirement Research Foundation, the American Society of Pension Actuaries, the social security administration of each NAFTA country, and the Pension Research Council.

Description: This article discusses the relative merits of investing some Social Security assets in common stocks either by 1. Adjusting the retirement benefits and taxes, and investing part of the Social Security trust funds in the stock market [the 'defined benefit,' or DB, method], or 2. Reduce the basic retirement benefits further, and have workers invest part of their future contributions in individual accounts [the 'defined contributions,' or DC, method].

Description: The author summarizes her experience participating as an expert as part of a forum that was launched to give the public a neutral avenue through which to express views on the U.S. Social Security program and possible reforms. This particular forum focused on women's issues with respect to Social Security.

Description: This 1978 teaching session provided a basic primer on the design of the OASDI benefit formula. Areas covered included: 1. The Decoupling issue 2. The Average Indexed Monthly Earnings 3. The Primary Insurance Amount formula 4. The Indexing procedure 5. Transition arrangements 6. The Short Service problem 7. Replacement Ratio considerations 8. Impact of Wage Base changes 9. The Retirement Age and Retirement Test.

Description: This session from the 1995 SOA Vancouver Meeting addresses the critical issues of the financing for the Social Security systems in the U.S. and Canada. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Volume 21, No. 3b.

Description: This session from the 1995 SOA Boston Meeting presents different governmental approaches to providing financial security and health benefits for retirees, the problems associated with aging populations and the reduction in resources available to meet their needs. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 21, No. 4a.

Description: Panelists and audience engage in a discussion about how to address – and how not to address – the basic financial-income needs of people in the U.S. after they have retired from a productive work life. Considers the current Social Security system in the U.S. and the systems in other countries. From the 1997 Record of Society of Actuaries, Vol. 23, No. 3.

Description: Public Law 93-445 provided for a complete restructuring of the railroad retirement system. This paper discusses 2 of the issues/problems underlying the need for the restructuring. These were 1 concurrent social security benefits paid to railroad annuitants 2 the approach used to increase benefits to keep up with inflation. Also a discussion of the basic achievement of the new law, which was to create a two-tiered benefit structure. Followed by 2 discussion papers submitted