Description: This article highlights how Pension Section actuaries are in the forefront of the debate on pension plan funding reform. Over the past year, the SOA Pension Section has been at the forefront of efforts to rethink how employer-sponsored pension plans are funded. Our initiative began in the fall of 2004 with a call for papers, asking members of the consulting, plan sponsor and academic communities to develop proposals that innovatively address the future of pension plan funding—with the goal of creating a better system. In order to provide a forum to discuss the resulting papers and debate various proposals for reform, a symposium was organized for pension experts and stakeholders to meet face-to-face. The symposium, officially titled 'The Future of Pension Plan Funding and Disclosure,' was held in Washington, D.C., on July 14-15, 2005. From Pension Section News, April 2006, No. 61.

Description: Retirement income security under defined contribution plans depends upon sufficient savings and decumulating that savings so it provides an adequate income throughout retirement. Investment risk and longevity risk inherently complicate the latter task. The economic rationale for annuitization is clear in this context. However, annuitization rates have historically been very low, a phenomenon that is still not well understood. If retirees are making “rational” decisions based on full information, if their choices are consistent with the pursuit of their financial priorities, then low annuitization rates are not an issue for concern. In this case, retirees who annuitize and retirees who do not must have different financial priorities. However, research by the TIAA Institute shows that the decision to not annuitize is inconsistent with the stated financial priorities of most non-annuitants. It appears that non-annuitants do not und erstand that annuitization would address their financial priorities for retirement.

Description: This article is an excerpt taken from, Status of the Social Security and Medicare Programs: A Summary of the 2004 Annual Reports - A Message to the Public. From the Social Security and Medicare Boards of Trustees. From Pension Section News, September 2004, Issue No. 56.

Description: SMI Trust Fund: Estimates under Alternative II Assumption for Aged and Disabled Excluding End-Stage Renal Disease Enrollees from Pension Section News, October 2000, Issue No. 44.

Description: This article summarizes the Traditional Actuarial Paradigm Roundtable discussion. From Pension Section News, April 2005, Issue No. 58.

Description: Complete issue of the September 2014 Pension Section News newsletter.

Description: Full version of Pension Section News, September 2004, Issue No. 56.

Description: An excerpt from the 2003 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Hospital Insurance and Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds which describes the basic methodology and assumptions used in the estimates for Medicare Part B under the intermediate assumptions.

Description: February issue of PSN

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.