Description: There is surprisingly little guidance on whether negative GAAP term reserves should be floored. This article addresses some of the considerations for flooring.

Description: Discusses: [1] the effects of Financial Accounting Standard No. 97 [FAS 97] on recoverability and loss-recognition issues, [2] interest-crediting strategy, ways and means of maintaining the planned interest spread, the effects of the various strategies on lapse experience, and the ultimate effect on recoverability of the deferred acquisition costs, and [3] premium-deficiency testing and the modification of interest, mortality, and expense margins to satisfy the question of loss recognition, or lack of the ability to recover the remaining deferred asset. From the 1988 Record of Society of Actuaries, Vol. 14, No. 3.