Description: This article analyzes and confirms the circumstances where a change in the mortality assumption does and does not have a significant impact on pension valuations.

Description: This article summarizes the focus of the inaugural The Pension Conference which is the difficult investment environment for pension plans and the increased choice and competition that accompany that environment.

Description: This article summarizes 2005 cost-of-living adjustments related to employee benefit plans, including: 1. IRS limits applicable to retirement plans, transportation fringe benefits, adoption assistance programs, medical savings accounts, health savings accounts, high-deductible health plans and long-term care plans, 2. PBGC guaranteed benefits, 3. federal income tax factors, 4. Social Security and Supplemental Security Income, 5. Medicare, and 6. covered compensation. From Pension Section News, January 2005, Issue No. 57.

Description: This article discusses adjusting IRC 415 limits for prior distributions. The proposed IRC 415 regulations issued last May contained guidance regarding how to adjust the benefit limits for prior distributions. This is commendable on the part of the IRS. How to adjust the IRC 415 limits for prior distributions has long been a source of confusion even for experienced pension actuaries. The best methodology is not immediately clear, and some methods have become common practice even if they can lead to inconsistent or unreasonable results. From Pension Section News, January 2006, No. 60.

Description: This article discusses the need for a better strategy for defined benefit pension plans. While pension costs per se can be considered independently of investment strategy, the volatility of costs cannot. Many defined benefit plan sponsors are acutely aware of this volatility and are freezing or terminating their defined benefit pension plans. From Pension Section News, September 2006, No. 62.

Description: This article explains why and how maturing defined benefit pension plans become increasingly unstable if they maintain asset mix policies that embody material mismatch risk between plan assets and liabilities. The implication is that asset depletion is a risk that mature plans should take very seriously. This means redesign should be a priority for pension plans facing this risk. From the Pension Section News, October 2011, Issue No. 75.

Description: Provides an overview of several EBRI studies on spending by older Americans and brings together with Society of Actuaries research on shocks in retirement.

Description: Protecting oneself in older age from risks is the sine qua non of retirement planning. But far too many people don’t approach retirement (or retirement planning) well. From a policy perspective, we know about half the senior population will have some sort of long-term care event. We need to recognize that long-term care risk is a component not just of aging but of retirement. Placing long term care solutions in the retirement space is critical to reaching the bulk of the population. Combined with the additional element—recognition of risk—this would be both a powerful protection but also a natural one for individuals to understand.

Description: Column that provides an overview of section activities