Description: This paper suggests a number of legislative changes, educational efforts, and changes in annuity products and asset allocation software that could assist workers and retirees to better prepare for and respond to declining mortality rates and future increases in income needs. From Retirement Needs Framework, M-RS00-1.

Description: This paper takes the position that the U.K. actuarial profession has still not come to a single view on financial economics, and the major divisions that remain continue to hamstring its policy development. From Current Pension Actuarial Practice in Light of Financial Economics Symposium, M-RS04-1.

Description: The purpose of this paper is to explore a methodology for choosing among techniques for managing contribution volatility in defined- benefit pension plans. A frequently used – and as often criticized – method for managing contribution volatility is to base actuarial cost on smoothed assets. Our goal in this paper is to develop a methodology for measuring and evaluating the quantitative impact of competing asset smoothing policies. We proceed by investigating a series of basic pension metrics, evaluating the characteristics of each using a simulated pension plan. We then use normalized and weighted combinations of these metrics to determine an optimal smoothing policy.

Description: This paper charts the economic status of women moving from marriage to widowhood, and examines the changes in income and income sources that actually occur as women are widowed. The paper focuses, in particular, in the actual and potential role of pensions in preserving the economic status of widow. From Retirement Needs Framework, M-RS00-1.

Description: Ways for management to measure, integrate and use Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) information to analyze, compare, discuss, and monitor risks such that appropriate risk management decisions can be made.

Description: The article presents a number of approaches to communicating and discussing risk with employer and retirement board members.

Description: This paper looks at retirement income planning techniques currently practiced in North America, and then discusses contingencies that are generally omitted from the retirement needs analysis. From Retirement Needs Framework, M-RS00-1.

Description: This paper explores the advantages of annuitization as a protection against a long-lived retiree running out of money. From Retirement Needs Framework, M-RS00-1.

Description: The purpose of this paper is to explore pension plan metrics— – measuring the behavior of a defined- benefit pension plan in an uncertain environment. Our goal is to measure and evaluate the quantitative impact of competing policy choices. We proceed by investigating some basic pension metrics, evaluating the characteristics of each using a simulated pension plan. We find that some typical metrics— – such as the mean and standard deviation— – are useful only in certain circumstances and that other less traditional measurements are sometimes better suited to evaluating policy choices.

Description: This paper examines the social structures that are determining retirement for female Baby Boomers, and what can be done for these women to reflect the shift from shared responsibility to individual responsibility for retirement security. From Retirement Needs Framework, M-RS00-1.