Description: Paper examines the asset allocation behavior of state and local pension plans.

Description: Paper presents a conceptual approach that could improve the security of retiree benefits while reducing the variability of employer contributions and improving the long-term prospects of the plan as a whole.

Description: The objective of this discussion is two-fold: To provide insight into the ingredients of an investment program, performance objectives and in related goals and to sensitize actuaries to the investment process. From Record of Society of Actuaries, Vol. 1, No. 3.

Description: Discussant comments for “Requirements to Make the Housing Asset a Viable Retirement Asset.” This paper examines the characteristics of an ideal product and the type of institution that would be well positioned to offer the ideal product which would allow a housing asset to be a viable retirement asset. Discussant provides comments from a US perspective.

Description: This paper establishes a framework to analyze the volatility of corporate profits as a result of variability in accounting for pension plans. It models a Canadian corporation that maintains a defined-benefit pension plan and that has adequate cash flow to fully fund the pension plan, should it wish. Volatility of corporate profits is important because many senior executives have some component of their compensation directly related to corporate profitability and consequently do not want any surprises with respect to actual profits compared to expected profits. The volatility management techniques considered are investment policies for the pension plan, funding the pension plan, and an alternative plan design. The analysis is timely since changes are proposed to the accounting standards to eliminate most smoothing techniques. The results suggest that, depending on the investment environment, reduced volatility may be accompanied by by enhanced return, which is a result that few would expect.

Description: This document is a summary of a session which was presented at the 1975 SOA Annual meeting. It includes discussions on the following topics: Effects of ERISA on valuation methods, discussion of Claude Y. Paquin's paper A Review of Actuarial Cost Methods for Defined Benefit Pension Plans, funding standard account, asset valuation and allocations, plan mergers, a discussion of Josiah M. Lynch's paper A Practical Approach to Gains Analysis, information related to Individual policy pension trusts.

Description: This paper, originally published in March 1983 as a study note for exam part 10E, and in 1984 in the Transactions of Society of Actuaries Vol. 34, is designed to be a single reference source for actuaries who want to increase their understanding of a GIC. This educational paper provides knowledge on all aspects of GICs, including their history, and has received significant recognition, including the 1984-85 Annual Prize, and the L. Ronald Hill Memorial Prize in 1985.

Description: This paper examines the characteristics of an ideal product and the type of institution that would be well positioned to offer the ideal product which would allow a housing asset to be a viable retirement asset.

Description: Discussion of Living to 100 Session 5A. The papers presented propose a new method to price the longevity risk premia in order to tackle the pricing obstacle and reviewed the insurance industry implications on retirement planning and the secondary market in insurance.

Description: This paper will describe why self-insurance is less attractive with transparent-accounting rules, and the will examine two strategies an employer can execute to reduce the plan's and the plan participant's risks.