Description: This article aimed to make Liability Driven Investing LDI more accessible by providing a simple definition and by showing how plans of different sizes and circumstances may adopt an appropriate LDI approach.

Description: A company considering the acquisition of, or merger with, another company or the divestiture of an operation may find that issues related to employee benefit programs have a profound effect on the viability ofthe transaction. This paper lists literature for the actuary to broaden his/her knowledge on the subject: both on mergers and acquisitions and on handling of employee benefits.

Description: An increased focus on pension plan cost and risk management has led plan sponsors to pursue innovative plan designs. This, in turn, is driving the need for actuaries to utilize new approaches to modeling the underlying market risks of such plan designs. The presenters will discuss advanced techniques to pension plan cash flow modeling that will ensure that the risks embedded in complex plan design features are fully captured. Specifically, a new dimension to cash flow modeling, benefit commencement year (in addition to payment year), will be introduced as well as the concept of 'collapsible' cash flow. Case studies will illustrate how techniques can be used in practice for cash balance plans, pension equity plans and other lump sum paying plans. Other risks such as form of payment and longevity will also be covered. This session is intended to meet the needs of actuaries and investment consultants focused on providing advice on risk management and investment strategy to sponsors of pension plans with complex design features.

Description: Description * This article summarizes Rev. Proc. 2018-54, in which the IRS provides for a new elective procedure that is intended to help segregated asset accounts and insurance-dedicated funds comply with the diversification requirements of Code section 817(h) with respect to investments in a new type of security known as a Uniform Mortgage-Backed Security.