Description: Corrections to table in 1986-98 Credit Risk Loss Experience Study relative to S&P default and average loss rates by credit rating.

Description: An increased focus on pension plan cost and risk management has led plan sponsors to pursue innovative plan designs. This, in turn, is driving the need for actuaries to utilize new approaches to modeling the underlying market risks of such plan designs. The presenters will discuss advanced techniques to pension plan cash flow modeling that will ensure that the risks embedded in complex plan design features are fully captured. Specifically, a new dimension to cash flow modeling, benefit commencement year (in addition to payment year), will be introduced as well as the concept of 'collapsible' cash flow. Case studies will illustrate how techniques can be used in practice for cash balance plans, pension equity plans and other lump sum paying plans. Other risks such as form of payment and longevity will also be covered. This session is intended to meet the needs of actuaries and investment consultants focused on providing advice on risk management and investment strategy to sponsors of pension plans with complex design features.

Description: This article discusses the potential issues with a company's surplus due to currency fluctuations.

Description: 1994 SOA Spring Meeting, Orlando. This session on credit risk presented a comparative survey of recent and ongoing research related to asset credit risk, and it provided analysis of SOA 1986-89 credit risk data.

Description: The Society of Actuaries’ Committee on Post-Retirement Needs and Risks (CPRNR) commissioned Linda Koco to write this guide that employers can use when considering advice options for a company retirement plan. The guide includes information about the nature and timing of decisions, ongoing decisions after retirement, and advice considerations. The guide is intended to be unbiased toward any particular approach or organization’s product. This guide does not provide advice for specific situations and should not be construed as doing so. It is an information tool for considerations related to advice. The guide is not intended to provide legal guidance or recommendations.

Description: This article discusses the impact of rising interest rates on annuity writers and life insurers and the risk management challenges it presents. Falling interest rates were addressed as well.

Description: This presentation revisits Tilley’s approach to approximating the value of a derivative through simulation and compares it to the Least Squares Monte Carlo Method developed by Longstaff and Schwartz.

Description: Summary of research project designed to document method to credit interest rates to account value based products. The investment year method (IYM) can theoretically align with investment strategy and be fair to policyholders. These products were designed in the 1980s with guaranteed nominal rates above what is currently accessible so most products credit the guaranteed rate. This paper documents how it could be resurrected during the next interest rate cycle.

Description: This abstract describes work that revisits Tilley’s approach to approximating the value of a derivative through simulation and compares it to the Least Squares Monte Carlo Method developed by Longstaff and Schwartz.

Description: This article suggests ways for small insurance companies to obtain modeling information on more intricate assets, such as collateralized mortgage obligations [CMO], at a low cost.