Description: The Taxing Times Editorial Board acknowledges the invaluable contributions of our colleague, Art Schneider, who passed away in August. Throughout his career as a tax accountant, Art generously shared his time and talents to help actuaries and other tax professionals increase their understanding of insurance industry tax topics. We will miss him.

Description: Read how to combine people management and mentorship to create positive and open environments and improve employee engagement and productivity.

Description: In May, the Leadership and Development Section sponsored a webinar where 4 four senior actuarial leaders with different backgrounds, experiences, and geographic locations shared their journeys and unique perspectives. This article summarizes the key takeaways from the discussion of the paths they followed to leadership.

Description: What does it take for an actuary to be a good people manager? We propose an answer in three words: willingness, love and rigor. A good people manager is dedicated to invest in team members’ success, sincerely cares for them, and subject them to high standards that speed up their growth.

Description: Effective strategic planning can have a profound effect on the development of your team and the growth and direction of your actuarial organization. This article shares the elements that will set you up for success before the meeting even begins.

Description: A compilation of reader responses to a real life management situation in which one actuary went over his boss's head.

Description: The widening gap in life span between high- and low-income Americans may be eroding the progressivity of Social Security retirement benefits. Differential longevity trends have had the effect of raising lifetime benefits for high earners but not for low earners. Social Security’s long-term financial problems result in part from an increase in average life expectancy driven by wealthier people living longer, and, thereby, collecting more benefits. Policymakers should not use funding shortfalls attributable to these trends as an excuse to cut monthly benefits alike for those who have gained (high earners) and for those who haven’t (low earners).

Description: A compilation of reader responses is presented to a real life situation posed involving a management, leadership, or other business decision. This issue’s case study involved what to do when an actuary turned in her resignation, but didn't seem excited about the prospective move.

Description: This article is about the need for actuaries and technical professionals to develop critical leadership and other soft skills, and highlights the ways the SOA Leadership & Development section provides tools to develop those skills.

Description: Read the Quo Vadis Reinsurance.