Description: This report compares the CIA pricing method for estimating group annuity closeout pricing to methods used in the US.

Description: This is a summary of a new research paper entitled: “Determining Discount Rates Required to Fund Defined Benefit Plans” by John Turner and three other economists, which describes a new way to look at pension funding for ongoing plans that is a variant of using expected returns (currently used in public plans) that takes into account the risk that contributions will be needed in the future for this year’s benefit accruals.

Description: This study examines reductions in retirement benefits from the decline in defined benefit plans and increases in defined contribution plans during the past 20 years and what effect this has on workforce management. In particular how this change is affecting older workers’ decisions to retire and what effect this could have on companies. An underlying assumption implicit in evaluating the benefit of retirement of older workers is that productivity declines in old age while pay does not, leading to a pay productivity gap that could have an adverse effect on the employer from delayed retirement. The validity of this assumption was also examined.

Description: This session discusses two recent SOA research initiatives called FARM I and FARM II. From Record of Society of Actuaries, Vol. 30, No. 3.

Description: This paper analyzes which of the factors that affect retirement mortality determined in Phase I of the FARM project should be added to the existing mortality studies of the Society of Actuaries. Some factors were added or modified and two were dropped from those in Phase I.

Description: This paper is a practical guide to the terminal funding annuity product. Actuarial considerations, investment strategies, administration, and marketing aspects are discussed.

Description: This article discusses the affects of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 PPA primarily in relation to defined benefits pension DB plans.

Description: Panelists discuss recent developments in: Guaranteed Investment Contract [GIC] products, annuities for terminations of pension plans [terminal funding], settlement of obligations under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 88 [FAS 88], and separate accounts and portfolio insurance. From the 1988 Record of Society of Actuaries, Vol. 14, No. 1.

Description: This paper concludes that there are two index rates that could best replace the 30-year Treasury in the calculation of the Current Liability of a pension plan - either the 30 year swap rate or the benchmark 30-year FNMA bond.

Description: This is a research project on possible replacement indices for the 30 year treasury rates used to value current liability for defined benefit pension plans in the US.