Description: Discussant comments by Ryan Labs Asset Management on paper “Actuarial Methods and Public Pension Funding Objective: An Empirical Examination,” by Norman L. Jones and Brian B. Murphy and Paul Zorn

Description: Excel spreadsheet illustrating a specific proposal outlined in the paper, with detailed explanations.

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 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: The article has formulas for calculating the geometric return of a portfolio using the arithmetic return and the variance

Description: Chapter 5 reviews the investment plans of four Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota, and California public employee systems concentrating on three main topics: general summary of fund and portfolio characteristics, comparisons of target asset allocations policies, and reviews of investment policies. From A Study of Public Employees Retirement Systems, M-RS96-1.

Description: Chapter 6 summarizes the findings for key actuarial assumptions in each of the following categories: active mortality, disablement rates, withdrawal rates, retirement rates, retiree mortality, disabled mortality, interest rates, salary scales, actuarial cost methods, ans asset valuation methods. From A Study of Public Employees Retirement Systems, M-RS96-1.

Description: Introduction to the paper that documents the flaws of the current financial model.

Description: Part 1 proposes solutions to the first of three flaws of the current financial model to obtaining the fair value of the public sector employer’s pension benefit liability.

Description: 10 Considerations for DB Pension Plans in Light of the Coronavirus Crisis of 2020. The article discusses the following topics: ERISA funded status & benefit restrictions; cash contributions & tax deductibility; PBGC premiums; Pension Accounting Expense; Commencing Benefits After Normal Retirement Age; Bringing Back Former Participants; Actuarial Assumptions; Asset Allocation and Re-Risking; De-Risking Expectations and Future Funding Relief