Description: This paper by Harry M. Sarason, presented at the Eastern Spring Meeting of the Society of Actuaries, held March 24-25, 1960 in Washington, D.C., and the ensuing discussion, considers how to dispel, in layman’s terms, the misconception that “an annuity for the expectation of life is the same as the average value of the life annuity.” From the 1960 Transactions Vol. 12, No. 33.

Description: This is a discussion of the paper, A Theory of Mortality Classes by Louis Levinson. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1959, Vol. 11, No. 29 AB.

Description: This discussion on annuities and settlement options focuses on: A. Revisions made recently in the interest and mortality bases for annuity contracts and retirement income policies and for settlement options embodied in life insurance policies. B. The extent to which the use of settlement options might be justified for payees other than the insured and beneficiaries who are natural persons. C. The practical problems arising in connection with: 1 Requests for elaborate or complicated settlements 2 Liberal settlement option guarantees in outstanding policies

Description: This section presents book reviews and summaries of recent publications on a variety of topics.

Description: This paper examines the risks involved with equity investing for pension funds. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1959, Vol. 11, No. 31.

Description: This paper looks at underwriting and changes in practice as a result of the Build and Blood Pressure Study, if there is a tendency for companies to liberalize their underwriting standards in light of recent favorable mortality and recent changes in nonmedical limits. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1960, Vol. 12, No. 33.

Description: This is a discussion about employee benefit plans after retirement. The following questions are addressed: 1. To what extent are death benefits and medical benefits for employees and dependents kept in force after the employee retires?, 2. Where there is a continuation of such benefits for a retired employee or his dependent, what special problems can result from remarriage or reemployment, or in the event of the enactment of a federal plan?, 3. What methods of paying for or funding such costs are used?, and 4. What are the tax implications to both the employee and employer of the various approaches? Also discussed are insured vs. non-insured plans and valuation standards for pension plans. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1964, Vol. 16 Pt. 2

Description: This is a discussion looking at company use of an attained age valuation system and if companies have changed their general method of valuation. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1950, Vol. 2, No. 3.

Description: This discussion focuses on the advantages and disadvantages, from the viewpoint of smaller insurance companies in the United States and Canada, of entering the field of small pension plans. Considerations involve whether a smaller company entering the field should offer group annuities, and to what extent are special premium rates, plans of agents' compensation, and policy forms necessary for a smaller company to compete successfully for individual policy pension plans. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1961, Vol. 13, Pt. 2.

Description: This paper contains three discussions. The first is about recent developments in health insurance programs in the United States and Canada. The second discussion is about the Society and how it can provide services to its members and the public. The third discussion is on life insurance company management. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1966, Vol. 18 Pt. 2, No. 50 AB