Description: A nationally recognized market research firm recently conducted a consumer survey pertaining to income term life insurance. Income term life insurance offers a death benefit which includes an upfront-specified income stream, commencing upon death of the insured during the term period, to a surviving beneficiary until (a) a predefined date or (b) death of the beneficiary. This article provides an overview of the results of the survey.

Description: This article discusses the results of the 2018 SOA Life Reinsurance Survey and looks at overall life reinsurance trends.

Description: The purpose of this article is to discuss some concerns the author's company has had in administering first-dollar reinsurance and to raise awareness of issues you may wish to consider for your reinsurance arrangement.

Description: Discusses results of author's recent survey of professionals in the viatical and life settlement, a.k.a. secondary insurance industry, to discover how actuaries could best serve this particular business.

Description: The rules governing the tax treatment of distributions from life insurance or annuity contracts are complex. Worse, the relevant IRC section, section 72, seems at times to be the product of a conspiracy in restraint of understanding.

Description: This article discusses two recent 2005 IRS private letter rulings that involved the meaning of “cash surrender value” as used under code section 7702, which defines a life insurance contract for federal income tax purposes.

Description: Update on a broad range of insurance and investment tax matters upon which ACLI is working, including: deficiency reserve guidance, IRS guidance on PBR/AG 43, Camp Financial Product Discussion Draft, FATCA and changes to non-forfeiture laws due to low interest rates

Description: This article details different methods for calculating mortality impact associated with new underwriting programs. A common simplified calculation is compared and contrasted with two first principles approaches. The strengths and weaknesses of both approaches are discussed.

Description: Discusses the CCA 201939003 and the conclusions that were made and the impacts it has on a taxpayer's ability to make an election for determining the interest rate used to compute tax-deductible life insurance reserves.

Description: One of the most fundamental concepts in actuarial practice is the time value of money. For any work in which future cash flows are allowed for, such as reserving or pricing, it is natural to discount to present values so that an appropriate amount of money can be set aside today, allowing for future investment returns. This article discusses yield curve extrapolation methods along with the benefits and drawbacks of these methods.