Description: Description of program parameters for next year.

Description: Feature article discussing the changes France made to its pension systems in 2010, with some history.

Description: Overview of research project to investigate the extent of funding of public government retiree health programs.

Description: Challenge to actuarial business as usual in re public pension plans with a focus on setting actuarial standards of practice

Description: Information regarding automatic updates to Social Security parameters (COLA, earnings base, etc.) effective at the beginning of 2017.

Description: This is a letter to the readers of the newsletter describing the content of the publication.

Description: This article is about a colloquium held in Edinburgh, Scotland from Sept. 25–27, 2011, by the Pension Benefits and Social Security Section of the International Actuarial Association [IAA]. The theme of the meeting was international challenges in providing a safe and sustainable retirement.

Description: Discussion of competing theories for valuing public pension liabilities. Emphasis on revised Actuarial Standards of Practice that focus on the purpose of the measurement.

Description: Drivers for mortality are apparently linked to socio-economic differentials within different societal groups. Actuaries are not the only profession interested in unravelling the mystery of why different groups within society experience such different mortality rates. The author gives examples from occupational pension plans in Canada, the UK and Germany.

Description: Personal highlights of a pension actuary's 10 years with the U.S. Social Security Administration and Senate staff, applying his experience and skills to emerging issues. He recommended that the Thrift Savings Plan for federal employees use index funds for common stocks, giving employees an attractive way to invest while keeping politics out of stock selection.