Description: The motivation for various asset valuation methods and their properties are briefly described. Some smoothed value or market-related methods based on arithmetic averaging and exponential smoothing are considered and their effect on funding is discussed. Suggestions for further research are also made.

Description: This paper discusses an asset smoothing technique where the asset values are adjusted based on reasonable investment indices. From The Pension Forum, August 2001, Volume 13, Issue No. 1.

Description: This paper describes rates of disability based on recent experience under public retirement plans for U.S. Government Employees: 1988–1993. From Pension Section News, April 1998, Issue No. 36.

Description: This paper discusses the limits placed on actuarial pension practice since the passage of ERISA. From The Pension Forum, January 2003, Volume 15, Issue No. 1.

Description: This paper is a follow-up to the papers in the January and April 2005 editions of the Pension Forum, which focused on the interest assumptions to be used in pension funding. This paper focuses on the other assumptions used to calculate pension liabilities—mortality, early retirement and expense. From Pension Section News, April 2006, No. 61.

Description: Feature article discussing assumption committee development and their role.

Description: This article discusses the need for a sophisticated modeling system capable of analyzing the impact of the variables present in pension plan projections and providing management with information which it may act upon.

Description: The author of this article notes that “valuing pension or long-term disability plans with Social Security offsets generally requires some assumptions about the future course of the wage base and benefit formula,” and “the usual approach is to select annual percentage increases for these two variables which relate reasonably and well to the valuation salary scale, and then to project Social Security on that basis.” The author goes on to discuss how the actuary and plan sponsor can be comfortable with a particular choice of parameters, given that “costs can be very sensitive to the Social Security projection and recent history offers little guidance.”

Description: A summary of the October 31 meeting of the Board of Governors, where topics included education and examination requirements, SOA organization, pension terminology, publications, didivend philosophy, subcommittee operations, financial statement certifications, the Executive Director position, and consolidation of North American actuarial organizations.

Description: Presents concerns regarding assumptions for inflation.