Description: This paper focuses on the Social Security Act. The paper first presents a brief history of the old-age and survivors insurance system and the public assistance program. The provisions of the amended act are compared to the previous version. Actuarial cost estimates underlying the insurance program are given with implications of the financing basis of the program.

Description: This paper presents multiple book reviews: Reports from Staff of U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means and U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, Reports in Connection with Social Security Legislation 1975-77, 'Statement on Cost Comparisons of Individual Life Insurance Policies', by Canadian Institute of Actuaries, 'Investment Activities of Life Insurance Companies' from Huebner Foundation Lectures, 'The Life Insurance Industry's Marketing Dilemma' by Johns, 'The Future of Social Security' by Munnell, 'Social Security - Today and Tomorrow' by Ball, 'Mortality Table Construction' by Batten, 'Mortality Table Construction' by Batten, 'The Crisis in Social Security - Problems and Prospects' by Boskin, 'A History of Interest Rates' by Homer, 'Indexation of Pensions and Other Benefits' by Robert Myers, 'Life Insurance Accounting' by Strain, '1978 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund...' by US Congress. Brief summaries of additional readings are also included.

Description: This article contains reviews of the following books published in 1992: 1. 'Broken Promises: The Inside Story of the Failure of Executive Life' by Vic Modugno, 2. 'Within the System: My Half Century in Social Security' by Robert J. Myers, 3. 'Insurance Risk Models' by Harry H. Panjer and Godon E. Willmot, and 4. 'Social Security: What Every Taxypayer Should Know' by A. Haeworth Robertson. Notices of Social Security notes and studies are also included. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1992, Vol. 44.

Description: Public Law 93-445 provided for a complete restructuring of the railroad retirement system. This paper discusses 2 of the issues/problems underlying the need for the restructuring. These were 1 concurrent social security benefits paid to railroad annuitants 2 the approach used to increase benefits to keep up with inflation. Also a discussion of the basic achievement of the new law, which was to create a two-tiered benefit structure. Followed by 2 discussion papers submitted

Description: This paper first summarizes the recent operations of the OASDI and Public Assistance PA programs. Then, the legislative history of the 1960 Amendments is presented in some detail, since proposals advocated unsuccessfully, or even passed by one House, often are embodied in subsequent legislation. Finally, the provisions of the OASDI system following the 1960 Amendments are summarized by categories, with particular emphasis on changes made and on financing aspects. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1960, Vol. 13, No. 36 AB.

Description: This is a discussion of the 1950 amendments to the Social Security Act. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1951, Vol. 3, No. 7.

Description: The paper reviews the demographic shifts, including improved life expectancy and the baby-boom/baby-bust cycle, of the past half-century and discusses their impact on the funding of pay-as-you-go paygo social security systems. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1995, Vol. 47.

Description: This paper summarizes the legislative history of the several amendments during 1962-65, with emphasis on the significant 1965 ones affecting both OASDI and Public Assistance. Also covered are the recommendations in the fields of OASDI and Hospital Insurance that were made by the Advisory Council on Social Security in 1963-64.

Description: This paper is from Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1955 Volume 7, Number 17. The author describes the 1954 amendments to Social Security, with a comparison to the 1950 and 1952 amendments, all of which primarily affected the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance [OASI] system, increasing benefits. Data on experience under the 1950 and 1952 amendments is provided. The author discusses the major changes enacted under the 1954 amendments, among them extension of coverage, increases in benefits and an increase in the maximum wages subject to contributions.

Description: The question is frequently raised: Do workers get their money's worth from the payroll taxes that they pay under the U.S. Social Security program? Analyses by nonactuaries are usually faulty because of incorrect methodology and/or incorrect assumptions. This paper presents an analysis of cash retirement benefits for various cases of workers at two earnings levels who attained age 65 and retired in the past and who will attain the normal retirement age and retire at several dates in the future. In summary, the vast majority of workers who retired in the past received, and are receiving, benefits of far greater value than the taxes that they paid. This situation will change in the future, especially if tax rates rise to a level sufficient to support the program over the long run. Many workers who retire in the future will not get their money's worth when the combined employer-employee taxes are considered. This result would be expected eventually for a program that is financed almost entirely by these payroll taxes. However, the vast majority of workers will get their money's worth if only the employee tax is considered. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1992, Vol. 44.