Description: This panel discussion is from the 1991 Meeting of the Society of Actuaries, held June 3-5 in Colorado Springs. The panelists discuss the future, if any, of defined-benefit pension plans, and whether they have been “legislated” out of existence, in particular the role of the Internal Revenue Service as the primary regulator of pension plans. From the Record of Society of Actuaries Vol. 17, No. 3B.

Description: Chapter 5 raises a number of tax issues that require legal advice, while recognizing that not all experts will agree on the correct tax treatment. From Design and Actuarial Aspects of Deferred Retirement Option Programs, M-RS03-2.

Description: This article is a review of the book “Pension Mathematics with Numerical Illustrations,” by Howard E. Winklevoss. The stated objective of this book is to analyze pension costs in detail, including the manner in which such costs vary under different actuarial assumptions, funding methods, and benefit provisions. The reviewers conclude the book is “probably most useful as a basic reference to those interested in pension cost relationships, examined from a theoretical and mathematical viewpoint.”

Description: This article discusses pension plans in North America as compared to pension plans in Japan from the perspective of the author, who has lived in both places, currently residing in Japan. From Pension Section News, January 2006, No. 60.

Description: Recognizing the increase in the rate of inflation over recent years in the United States, pension plans have been improving benefits for retired employees. In this paper, a planning model is developed for such increases, based on periodic examination of the increase in pension necessary to keep a replacement ratio constant. This ratio is initially related to the private pension plus Social Security benefit, divided by final average salary. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1982, Vol. 34.

Description: This research report analyzes approaches for the required discount rate to determine adequate funding for DB pension plans.

Description: The purpose of this paper is to sketch the mathematical functions which are needed in valuing the benefits of a self-insured plan, and to study certain problems that arise in connection with the valuation of these plans. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1950, Vol. 2, No. 2.

Description: Update to the SOA's longitudinal analysis of contributions among state-based and large-city pension plans in the U.S.

Description: Updated longitudinal study of metrics for measuring contribution adequacy at paying down unfunded liabilities in corporate DB pension plans in the U.S.

Description: Chapter 8 examines several issues related to DROP features added to ERISA-covered plans, and several issues related to Canadian plans. From Design and Actuarial Aspects of Deferred Retirement Option Programs, M-RS03-2.