Description: Over the last year or two, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of U.S. news topics that involve actuarial thinking such as Obama-care and long-term health of Social Security. While it is a nice feeling to see actuaries at the center of the action, much, or even most of the debate is conducted without any understanding of the actuarial concepts involved. This article is about the challenge of actuaries educating the public on these issues, especially when the profession is still working hard to bring its communication skills up to the level of its technical expertise.

Description: This is the December 2011 cover of The Actuarial magazine displaying the featured articles inside: How to Handle ORSA, The Actuarial Profession in India, and The SOA's Competency Framework

Description: The mission of the Education and Research E&R Section is described. The next two Actiarial Research Conferences are detailed. The pension section briefly discusses the decline of defined benefit pension plans.

Description: Short book reviews of The Social Animal: The hidden sources of Love, Charater and Achievement and Good Poems.

Description: Column describing what the SOA is doing for its members and discussing some of the annual meeting highlights.

Description: This article discusses how the SOA exams have changed over the years and the reasons for the changes. The current system focuses on actuarial education, balances examination rigor with educational experience, and uses technology - where appropriate - to facilitate and enhance learning outcomes.

Description: The Society of Actuaries Continuing Professional Development 'CPD' Requirement closed its first cycle on Dec. 31, 2010. As of that date, all members were required to attest compliance with the Requirement. The SOA also completed its first audit of compliance with the requirement. This article summarizes how members are meeting the SOA CPD Requirement. It also discusses some of the audit findings and provides 'tips for attesting' for SOA members living in Canada.

Description: In this article, the outgoing Society of Actuaries President, Donald J. Segal, reviews what he learned in the past year about the SOA and the actuarial profession.