Description: Discusses the market, demographic, and macroeconomic factors that affect actuaries' choices for the assumptions they use in the pricing and valuation of many insurance products.

Description: This is a summary of topics discussed at the 1996 Bowles Symposium: “The Old Age Crisis: Actuarial Opportunities,” September 26-27, 1996, at Georgia State University, Atlanta.

Description: This article brings forth a humorous discussion of fat executives stemming from the New York Times report which polled 15,000 executives showing that fat executives received less pay and are less likely to advance as quickly a lean persons.

Description: This article is a review of “1972 Lifetime Earnings by Age, Sex, Race, and Education Level, Research and Statistics Note No. 14-1975,” published by the Social Security Administration, which presents detailed data by quinquennial age groups, sex, race, and years of school completed as to the present value of future earnings based on static earnings levels 1972. It is stated that such data can be used for general analytical purposes to form policy, for court determinations of awards in damage suits, and for cost-benefit analysts in such areas as disease prevention and education programs. The author of this article notes in his analysis the inconsistency of the static salary assumptions with a range of interest rates from 2% to 8%.

Description: Brown, who has used this book for two years at University of Waterloo, provides his review.

Description: This article discusses the crossover of mortality rates around age 81 after which age nonwhite mortality is lower than white mortality and presents the best age statement data available from Medicare statistics.

Description: The topic of social and demographic changes has been included in the Emerging Issues Advisory Committee's screening because changes in demographics and social norms can directly impact products offered and how they are distributed by the life insurance industry. Also, changes in demographics can impact pricing and underwriting refinements within the industry. This article focuses on mortality from obesity and on mortality of the older population.

Description: Book review: Demography and Retirement in the 21st Century by Anna M. Rappaport and Sylvester J. Schieber. Congratulations are given to the editors and the pension Research Council for presenting important questions and discussions about our future.

Description: Summary of the Internal Revenue Service study on demographic and financial characteristics of the top wealthholders of the United States and a review of Metropolitan Life's mortality exerience for this group.

Description: This article provides an analysis of the AIDS case data collected and made available by the Centers for Disease Control. The CDC data base is at the individual level and includes age at diagnosis, date of diagnosis, sex, sexual preference, locale, type of infection transmission, etc.