Description: This article discusses the effects of a reduction in the life valuation interest rate and the adoption of the 2001 CSO table. From Small Talk Newsletter, November 2005, Issue No. 25.

Description: This article summarizes the activities of an industry group to develop alternatives to the impending XXX regulation. Five subcommittees will work on technical issues and a recommendation will be presented to the Life and Health Actuarial Task Force.

Description: This article discusses the Regulation XXX, the loss of significant sales in the term market and the following products designs which have been cited as possible abuses of the regulation: 1 Universal life products with shadow, 2 Non-guaranteed guarantees, 3 Guaranteed dividends, 4 Guaranteed refunds, 5 Re-entry, 6 P & C Insurance. The LHATF is considering new actuarial guidelines to address these issues.

Description: Author traces the tax treatment of deficiency reserves, beginning with the 1959 Act, illustrating how the decisions made in the development of the 1959 Act continue to affect the tax treatment of those reserves today.

Description: An interview with Sheryl Flum, chief, Branch 4, IRS Office of Associate Chief Counsel (Financial Institutions and Products) at the Internal Revenue Service, regarding her role at the IRS and current tax issues facing the life insurance industry.

Description: This article describes the mortality tables that the Board of Governors of the Society of Actuaries is recommending to the NAIC as successors to the 1958 CSO Table

Description: Designing and Pricing LTCI Combination Products by Carl L. Friedrich from Long-Term Care Newsletter, December 2004, Issue No. 13.

Description: The purpose of this article is twofold. Number one, to estimate the growing level of statutory reserves that are being reinsured offshore, supported by Letters of Credit, as well as by assets held within a trust. Number two, to quantify the redundancy in the reserves due to the conservative nature of the required methodology, combined with the utilization of an outdated mortality table.

Description: Update on Principles-Based Reserving

Description: Formulas for changes in GAAP liabilities and liability accrual rates are shown for three assumption update methods—retrospective, prospective and immediate.