Description: RP-2000 Mortality Tables Report Executive Summary from Pension Section News, October 2000, Issue No. 44.

Description: This article summarizes the approach taken by the Canadian Institute of Actuaries to develop mortality tables and mortality improvement scales for use in Canadian pension plans based on Canadian population data. It also summarizes the additional factors pension actuaries have to consider in using the new tables and scales.

Description: This article discusses that mortality tables should reflect improving mortality. The Group Annuity Mortality table GAM-83 is probably the most common table used by pension actuaries—75 percent of the plans in Watson Wyatt’s “2003 Survey of Actuarial Assumptions and Funding” use GAM-83 for funding calculations. However, there are three more recently published tables that warrant consideration for use in pension valuations: UP-94, GAM-94 and RP-2000. From Pension Section News, January 2006, No. 60.

Description: This article discusses the findings of the Retirement Plan Preferences Survey which asked workers participating in defined benefit plans and defined contribution plans which retirement plans they prefer and what they understand. From Pension Section News, March 2004, Issue No. 54.

Description: Marcus Robertson gives us a rundown of key results from the recent survey conducted by the Pension Section Council’s Communications Team.

Description: The Society of Actuaries’ Committee on Life Insurance Research, the Committee on Knowledge Extension Research, and the Product Development Section announce the release of a new report that provides an overview and analysis of the mortality models, theories and trends contained in the papers presented at the past four international Living to 100 symposia. Authored by Jennifer Haid, Michael Chan and Christopher Raham of Ernst & Young, this paper offers an overview of the technical materials related to data sources, validation techniques, and methodologies used by practitioners to develop mortality estimates for present and future periods. A summary of discussions regarding business, policy and social implications of increased longevity is also included.

Description: SOA Asset Valuation Method Survey Results by Jim Paterson & Larry Pinzur from Pension Section News, June 1999, Issue No. 40.

Description: This article summarizes the SOA 2003 Risks and Process of Retirement Survey. From Pension Section News, June 2004, Issue No. 55.

Description: This article announces the publication of Phase II of Factors Affecting Retirement Mortality FARM by Victor Modugno. This article also provides a brief summary of the publication and its availability. From Pension Section News, March 2004, Issue No. 54.

Description: The Retirement Plans Experience Committee RPEC of the Society of Actuaries SOA is a standing committee that monitors pension plan mortality experience. Most recently, the committee developed the RP-2000 mortality table. This table was the first published North American mortality table based solely upon private sector pension plan mortality experience. Previous tables developed by the RPEC such as GAR-94 and UP-94 were based primarily on a combination of group annuity, and U.S. federal employees and retirees mortality experience. From Pension Section News, April 2006, Issue No. 61.