Description: Lessons, tips, and suggestions for properly approaching the first stages of actuarial research.

Description: Discussion of the economics of a possible H5N1 pandemic, and its impact on Life, Health, and Property and Casualty insurers, in terms of areas of risk, especially underwritng risk, operations risk, and market risk.

Description: This article describes a hypothetical workplace dilemma. Suggested solutions and feedback are provided in the next issue of Stepping Stones. From the April 2010 issue of Stepping Stones.

Description: Book review of 'What Got You Here Won’t Get You There.'

Description: Management & Personal Development Section had a contest to have members write book reviews on MPD books. This is the winning review. The reviewer thinks actuaries can benefit from use of the 'multiplier effect' in an already powerful profession.

Description: This is a template for use in grading your persentations with a scoring key to measure your effectiveness.

Description: Data requirements for the Society of Actuaries cancer experience study, for those submitting exposure and claim information.

Description: The IRS released Notice 2006-95 (with an effective date of October 12, 2006), which provides guidance regarding the use by taxpayers of either 1980 CSO or 2001 CSO in determining whether mortality charges are reasonable within the meaning of section 7702(c)(3)(B)(i). More specifically, the Notice supplements Notice 88-128, 1988-2 C.B. 540, and modifies and supersedes Notice 2004-61, 2004-2 C.B. 596. The modifications to Notice 2004-61 impact the 1980 CSO Safe Harbor, Unisex & Smoker/Nonsmoker Rules, Issue date with Death Benefit increases and decreases, and Grandfathering of contracts issued based upon previous tables.

Description: The purpose of this report is to describe our modified approach, provide our rationale, and identify as best we can the alternatives put forward by actuaries who do not share our views.

Description: Muhlenkamp defines "risk" as the probability of losing purchasing power. This essay questions whether one year periods are appropriate to measure volatility. It proposes fundamental reason why equity returns exceed bond (or any other) investment class which is unrelated to statistical variances.