Description: Discussion of competing theories for valuing public pension liabilities. Emphasis on revised Actuarial Standards of Practice that focus on the purpose of the measurement.

Description: This is a report of the Society of Actuaries Committee on Pensions that was initially undertaken as an effort to assist the Committee on Actuarial Principles and Practices in Connection with Pension Plans of the American Academy of Actuaries with respect to recommendations it had been preparing. This report was prepared in an effort to promote better understanding of pension terminology. The Committee anticipates that additional work will be needed to coordinate this effort with regulatory efforts prompted by the pension reform act. It is hoped that a further list of terms reflecting specific words used in ERISA can be prepared, with pertinent definitions along with references to clarifying expressions suggested by the Committee where appropriate. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1976, Vol. 28.

Description: This is an article from The Actuary that discusses the need to reform defined benefit plans. The number of defined benefit plans in the United States has declined significantly over the past 20 years. If Congress overlooks the interests of plan sponsors in its reform, we're likely to witness further erosion of an already weakened defined benefit system, and America's workers would be the ultimate losers.

Description: Editorial that explores how underlying issues of the economic bubble were actuarial in nature.

Description: The article discusses the Texas Pension Review Board's Guidelines for Actuarial Soundness applicable to Texas state public retirement systems (including the system's amortization period), and how these guidelines are consistent with and complementary to both the current GASB 27 ARC disclosure, and the imminent GASB 67 & 68 disclosures. The GASB requirements will change from a de facto funding standard to strictly disclosure requirements, with a focus on plans whose funding trajectory is the poorest.

Description: Over the last several decades, mortality trends and life expectancies in developed countries have been improving and are expected to continue to improve in the future. This paper discusses issues of longevity risk and volatility faced by small defined-benefit DB pension plans in Canada and outlines the opportunities available for entrepreneurial insurance companies interested in providing solutions to address these issues.

Description: This article discusses the non-qualified market opportunities presented by the new limitations imposed on qualified pension plans.

Description: Sound and Workable Pension Actuarial, Accounting, and Funding Approaches for those Interested in the Health of Public and Private DB Plans – Discussant Comments

Description: Sponsors of DB plans are being forced to focus on their plans as never before. A confluence of events—market downturn, aging workforce and changing legislation/regulation—has meant the status quo no longer applies to companies’ DB plans.