Description: 1992 SOA Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C. This session addressed changes being seen and anticipated in the pension arena over the coming years. Topics discussed included: 1. An overview of some demographic and economic trends. 2. Cash-balance plans, and the trend from defined benefit to defined-contribution plans. 3. Nondiscrimination. 4. Canadian perspective.

Description: Retirement benefits, including health benefits, are increasingly being delivered through a DC structure. The presenters will explore how benefits are delivered and utilized, including consideration of tax implications and ordering. DC plan benefits in both the U.S. and Canada will be discussed.

Description: The presenters will provide an update on discount rates developed from the expected return on assets used in going concern pension funding. They will include recent research on discount rates being used for U.S. public sector plans, U.S. Multiple Employer Pension Plans, and Ontario and British Columbia plans. A discussion of the emerging regulatory framework in Canada and the U.S. and changes to ASOP 4 and 27 will also be covered. Components of discount rates such as expenses and margins (PfADs) will also be covered.

Description: 1992 SOA Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C. This session on mergers and acquisitions discussed the impact of pensions, post-retirement costs and fringe benefits on acquisitions as well as the special problems that arise when the parties in a transaction are globally diverse.