Description: The Employee Retiree Income Security Act, or ERISA, establishes an important statutory role for pension actuaries in the United States. As part of its statutory goal to protect the retirement security of America’s workers, ERISA requires tax-qualified defined benefit plans to obtain an actuarial valuation of plan reserves each year. When valuing the plan’s reserves, the actuary is required by ERISA to act on behalf of plan participants. Thus, the plan actuary fulfills an important role in maintaining the plan’s ability to meet its on-going obligations to the plan participants and their beneficiaries. From Pension Section News, April 2006, Issue No. 61.

Description: Full version of Pension Section News, Issue No. 61, April 2006.

Description: Article discussion information to included in an engagement letter and suggestions on how to negotiate them with clients.

Description: This presentation is a panel discussion, session number 26PD, from the 2002 Valuation Actuary Symposium, held September 19-20 in Lake Buena Vista, FL. The Enron scandal is likely to result in a more transparent disclosure of balance sheet liabilities. The panelists provide a professional/legislative update and offer pragmatic tips to valuation actuaries about how to respond effectively to increased scrutiny. They discuss the Corporate Accountability Act and the increased oversight of the accounting profession that will result, and the implications for actuaries working in accounting firms. They emphasize the importance for actuaries to be aware of the higher standards of independence and the need to follow actuarial standards of practice. Discussion from participants is included.

Description: Article offers ideas on how actuaries in small firms can address theri litigation risk in rational, cost-effective ways.

Description: Presented at 1995 Valuation Actuary Symposium. Presents updates from the NAIC and its Life & Health Actuarial Task Force, and the Actuarial Board for Counseling and Discipline.

Description: 1994 SOA Spring Meeting, Orlando. This session is about professional responsibility, qualification standards, ethical standards and standards of practice.

Description: Presented at September 1995 Valuation Actuary Symposium. This session is about professional standards and the appointed actuary.

Description: 1993 SOA Annual Meeting, New York. This session is about practice notes. The panelists debated the value of them and then discussed being aware of our legal liability.

Description: From a session at a meeting of the Society of Actuaries held in San Diego, CA, June 22-23, 2000 This session presented the results of a survey of the U.S. actuarial profession conducted by the Committee on Professional Responsibility of the American Academy of Actuaries. This survey asked questions relating to the individual actuary's awareness of and familiarly with the Code of Professional Conduct, Actuarial Standards of Practice, and qualification standards, as well as understanding of the activities of the Actuarial Board for Counseling and Discipline.