Description: The article summarizes a survey conducted by the Pension Section's Research Team. Nearly 2,400 actuaries responded with answers that ranged from abolishing the system to expanding the program to include all workers. The question, What changes, if any, should be made to the current system? is recapped.

Description: The book, 'Individual Accounts for Social Perspectives on the U.S. Debate' by John Turner, is reviewed in light of recent congressional failure to reform Social Security and in light of a survey of actuaries that produced divergent views on the subject [link to survey included].

Description: Article from Pension Section News, May 2007, No. 64, highlights a book by John Turner on international perspectives of individual accounts. In clear and concise language, Turner, a senior policy advisor at the AARP Public Policy Institute, explores the first-hand experience of other countries that have implemented, either partially or in full, aspects of social security reform that have been proposed for the U.S. system.

Description: This article reveals the results of a survey by the Pension Section Research Team showing that U.S. Social Security reform is a diverse issue for actuaries. From Pension Section News, April 2006, No. 61.

Description: This article discusses the relative merits of investing some Social Security assets in common stocks either by 1. Adjusting the retirement benefits and taxes, and investing part of the Social Security trust funds in the stock market [the 'defined benefit,' or DB, method], or 2. Reduce the basic retirement benefits further, and have workers invest part of their future contributions in individual accounts [the 'defined contributions,' or DC, method].

Description: This article is about the relative merits of changing the U.S. Social Security system from its current defined benefit approach to a defined contribution approach.

Description: This article is a summary of responses to a questionnaire from Benjamin I. Gottlieb in Washington that had been sent to a random sample of 500 Society Fellows in the U.S. The questionnaire dealt with the anticipated long-term economic and demographic assumptions for social security.

Description: The author summarizes her experience participating as an expert as part of a forum that was launched to give the public a neutral avenue through which to express views on the U.S. Social Security program and possible reforms. This particular forum focused on women's issues with respect to Social Security.

Description: This article is a summary of “Reports of Consultants on Actuarial and Definitional Aspects of Social Security Disability Insurance,” U.S. Government Printing Office, 1976. These reports are concerned with the disability portion of the Social Security Act and more specifically, with certain aspects of the definition of disability and the increases in benefit utilization that are taking place under this disability program.

Description: This article from the Digest of Informal Discussion, Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1956 Volume 8, Number 20, identifies the participants and summarizes their comments. The discussion topics include proposed legislation to provide disability benefits under OASI, the proposal to lower the OASI retirement age for women from 65 to 62, the advantages and disadvantages of bringing the personnel of the U.S. armed forces under OASI, coverage of state and municipal employees, and developments in Canada.