Description: Most industry professionals acknowledge that funding retirement needs will almost always require disciplined savings over a period of decades. Today, we are less than 30 years from the second half of the 21st Century. However, a majority of the Millennial and Gen Z generations are either not eligible for or are not using today's tax-preferred options for funding retiree medical and Long Term Care (LTC).

Description: This article reviews the new standard of practice, ASOP 6, and its impact on the actuarial assumptions that actuaries use for valuations of retiree group medical and life benefits.

Description: Feature article discussing the creation and effects of orphaned VEBAs, Voluntary Employee Benefit Associations.

Description: The Internal Revenue Service “the Service” or “IRS” recently released Technical Advice Memorandum 200939019 “the TAM”. The TAM initially caused a stir among some in the insurance tax industry because it disallows a tax deduction that was permitted on the NAIC Annual Statement hereinafter “NAIC statement”. Specifically, the TAM states that unpaid loss adjustment expenses “LAE” for retiree medical benefits may only be deducted in the tax year in which the benefits are included in income by the employee who earned the benefits, despite the fact the amounts were properly included on the NAIC statement and regardless of deductibility of the unpaid LAE under the Internal Revenue Code “the Code”. This article discusses the memorandum.

Description: Article about the future roles in health insurance.

Description: Overview of research project to investigate the extent of funding of public government retiree health programs.

Description: This article summarizes the work of the SFAS No. 106 implementation task force which was formed to consider the needs of practicing actuaries, inform the appropriate standing committees of these needs, and prompt these committees toward quick resolution of any outstanding issues.

Description: The results of new research on the current state and future opportunity of the retirement market in China.

Description: This article provides an overview of the laws and regulations governing pension funding and suggests analysis which will enable the plan sponsor to capitalize on contribution options and coordinate long and short term funding strategies.

Description: SOA’s recently completed research project related to long term projects of health care cost trends for use in post retirement medical valuations.