Description: Panelists discuss recent actions and proposals in regard to U. S. Social Security and the Canadian Pension Plan CPP, including, -considerations in 'privatizing' social security programs, -the introduction of the new Canadian 'Seniors' Benefits', -a framework for analyzing Social Security options, and -the impact of changes in Social Security on early and normal retirement ages. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 23, No. 3.

Description: Paper examines the existence of select birth cohorts of unusually high longevity improvement, their geographic locations, and their effect on retirement annuities. From 2005 Living to 100 and Beyond Monograph, M-LI05-1.

Description: This is an article about the lack of savings by the baby boomers and how it will affect retirement and the ramifications for Social Security. The author believes that baby boomers will choose to continue to work and alleviate some of the burden on social security.

Description: Participants learn about the demographic, economic, and investment aspects of Social Security systems. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Volume 27, No. 2, Session 30PD of the Toronto Spring Meeting.

Description: This paper reviews the current state of the AIDS epidemic and the impact on non-drug-using heterosexuals. This paper shows that for most heterosexuals, the risk of becoming infected with the AIDS virus by sexual contact is insignificant compared with many other risks of life. The paper presents some recommendations for AIDS education and other perspectives. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1992, Vol. 44.

Description: In this session at the SOA 2003 Washington, DC Spring Meeting, the panelists discuss the value of deferred taxes to the owner of an IRA, 401k or similar product. The time it takes for tax-deferral benefits to overcome typical penalties levied on early distributions is reviewed. They also discuss the effect of tax deferral on the risk profile of investments.

Description: The decline of importance of private defined benefit plans in relation to defined contribution plans in the United States is a major issue of interest to pension actuaries. This decline is undeniable, and has been attributed to numerous factors: costs of government regulation, societal and cultural changes, changed attitudes of employers, and employees' lack of understanding of defined benefit plans. It has also caused some to proclaim the end of a private defined benefit plan. This work analyzes possible macroeconomic factors contributing to the crisis of defined benefit plans, and proposes an alternative hypothesis for the cause of the crisis: the decline of relative attractiveness of defined benefit plans in relation to defined contribution plans due to the shift in the way relative returns to macroeconomic factors of production, i.e., capital and labor, are allocated in the national economy. Possibilities of improvement of the position of defined benefit plans are also discussed. From Actuarial Research Clearing House 1998 Vol. 2.

Description: Discussion among experts. From 2005 Living to 100 and Beyond Monograph, M-LI05-1.

Description: This session from the 1995 SOA Boston Meeting presents different governmental approaches to providing financial security and health benefits for retirees, the problems associated with aging populations and the reduction in resources available to meet their needs. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 21, No. 4a.

Description: The upside of the downturn is that these powerful, influential, connected and important, yet incompetent people can be removed from their positions. To quote a great insight of Ayn Rand: “There is no substitute for competence.”