Description: This far-ranging discussion of health insurance and employee pensions discussed expansion of health insurance plans to encompass the additional forms of medical care and treatment, intercompany studies of mortality and morbidity, accidental death coverage are written on a twenty-four-hour basis or as travel accident, dental care insurance, survivorship benefits, employer-sponsored death benefits incorporated into qualified pension plans, and other topics. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1963, Vol 15 Pt. 2

Description: The so-called pension max life insurance marketing concept is generating a great deal of excitement among life insurance marketers. It's also received some skeptical reviews in the popular news media, the most recent being a Newsweek article by Jane Bryant Quinn in the April 4, 1994 issue. The marketing concept calls for electing an unreduced pension, that is, maximizing the pension, in lieu of electing a reduced contingent annuity [CA] or joint and survivor [J&S] option. Further, the marketing concept calls for the purchase of life insurance on the employee to substitute for the economic exposure created by not electing the CA or J&S option. Although the marketing concept is clear and simple, its economics continue to generate a great deal of discussion. This paper attempts to add some clarity to this issue. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1995, Vol. 47.

Description: These discussions at the 1967 New York and New Orleans Regional Meetings are about considerations in choosing interest assumptions and challenges presented when comparing investment yields among companies.

Description: This paper presents the fundamentals of creating and using projections. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1950, Vol. 2, No. 4.

Description: 1959 SOA Regional Meetings in Atlanta and San Francisco. These panel discussions reviewed procedures, techniques and vehicles used to provide benefits to retired employees. The panels also discussed Group Insurance Dividends and Major Medical issues.

Description: This is a discussion of the title paper by Robert M. Duncan which outlines the use of a contributory money purchase plan with death benefits, and investments in equities, to fund pensions. The approach is critiqued.

Description: This discussion at a 1967 Regional Meeting is about methods of allocating investment income using the investment year method, the treatment of unrealized capital gains, considerations in choosing interest assumptions, and challenges presented when comparing investment yields among companies.

Description: The purpose of this paper is to outline some of the points to be considered in arriving at a method of making cost estimates and funding calculations and their practical application.

Description: This section presents multiple book reviews and summaries of recent publications. Reviews: 'Social Security' by Myers, 'Report on Actuarial Principles and Practical Problems with Regard to Nonforfeiture Requirements' by Society of Actuaries, 'Mortality and Morbidity in the US' by Erhardt and Berlin, 'The Fifty-Second Annual Report of the Board of Actuaries of the Civil Service Retirement System' by US Government, 'Health Service Information in the US Today' by Murnaghan, 'Financial Problems Confront the Federal OASI and DI Trust Funds' by Staats, 'Public Employee Pension Funds' by Tilove, '1976 Annual Reports of the Board of Trustees of the Federal OASDI Trust Funds...' by US Congress, 'Report of the Consultant Panel on Social Security to the US Congressional Research Service' by US Government, 'Crime by Computer' by Parker, 'Reports of Consultants on Actuarial and Definitional Aspects of Social Security Disability Insurance' by US Government, 'Social Security: The Fraud in Your Future' by Shore, '1972 Lifetime Earnings by Age, Sex, Race and Education Level' by Social Security Administration. Digests also included.

Description: This paper deals with the selection of appropriate interest and inflation assumptions, which is one of the most important considerations in the valuation of a defined benefit pension plan. The paper begins by describing a simplified model in which the only important consideration is the selection of an appropriate differential between interest and inflation assumptions. The discussion then considers some situations that might lead the actuary to attempt to select a realistic level of interest and inflation assumptions, in addition to an appropriate differential. The author's conclusion is that in some situations the absolute level of the interest and inflation assumptions can be all but meaningless, and the differential between the two assumptions is the important factor. In other situations the use of this technique will produce serious inaccuracies in the valuation results. As always, the actuary must analyze each situation in order to determine which of the available techniques will produce the best results with the least effort, given the degree of accuracy required. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1976, Vol. 28.