Description: Small pension plans, are using Cost of Living Allowances 'COLA' in calculating benefits. This paper examines ways to handle COLA in valuations.

Description: This is an EA1 study note will present some common examples of converting benefits for normal, early and late retirement. It will also analyze how changes in a plan's actuarial equivalence assumption can affect the magnitude of the converted benefits.

Description: This article is about the value of fringe benefits, specicifically of pension benefits earned while married in the event of divorce or marital dissolution. It centers around the assumptions which should be used to determine the present values and shows applicable equations to be used.

Description: First demonstrates that the choice of mortality basis in the pre-retirement period is immaterial for a defined benefit plan, valued on the Aggregate method, with a pre-retirement death benefit equal to the present value of the accrued pension. Second, presents comparisons of contribution costs for Aggregate vs. Unit Credit funding methods.

Description: This article describes the Joint and Survivor Factor. In defined benefit plans, ERISA requires that the normal form of the pension must be on a qualified joint and survivor basis. If the plan defines the pension in terms of a lifetime pension to the participant only, the lifetime pension must be multiplied by the joint and survivor factor. This article shows what happens to the factor as the interest rate increases.

Description: This paper discusses the equitable disritibution from defined contribution plans upon marital dissolution. From The Pension Forum, January 2003, Volume 15, Issue No. 1.