Description: This article by Anna Rappaport and Eric Freden contains a compelling compendium of comments shared by top actuaries working in different roles with retirement systems who attended the fourth triennial “Living to 100” Symposium in Orlando, Fla.

Description: In this article, the editor previews the issue and thanks the outgoing communications committee members. From the Pension Section News, October 2011, Issue No. 75.

Description: This is an interview with David Littell, the Director of the Center and the manager of the RICP program.

Description: Historically low interest rates, historically high equity market volatility and ever increasing life spans have made pension funding a hot topic. Financing the lifestyles of the superannuated through steadily improving investment performance is no longer a given. Market realities and stricter regulatory funding requirements are forcing plan sponsors to reduce overly optimistic assumptions about how well their investments will perform and increase assumptions about how long they will have to last. A growing number of well-known corporations are looking for help in trying to make the math work. This article discusses the opportunities for all who want to take on longevity risk.

Description: Letter from the section chairperson discussing past and future seminars put on by the Reinsurance Section.

Description: Jonathan Barry Forman, J.D., is the Alfred P. Murrah Professor of Law at the University of Oklahoma College of Law.

Description: Feature article discussing how much money an individual needs to retire comfortably.

Description: Letter from editor discussing various topics covered in the issue.

Description: An interview with Anna Rappaport who discusses her life and actuarial career.

Description: Many retirement actuaries have experience developing, implementing, and monitoring Liability Driven Investing (LDI) strategies for plan sponsors. These strategies typically involve modifying a plan’s investment strategy to remove a significant portion of the investment and interest rate risk now or at some point in the future when specific triggers are met. The tactics often involve the use of fixed income assets to cash flow and/or duration match the liabilities. In the spirit of helping actuaries expand their roles in an evolving defined contribution world, this article explores the application of LDI and derisking strategies within defined contribution and individual retirement accounts. The economic theory behind this approach is called the lifecycle hypothesis, or lifecycle finance. The benefits of the lifecycle finance method are that it provides a safe approach to save for retirement and a secure source of floor income during retirement. Similar to pension plans, each individual has his or her own idiosyncratic needs, wants, and risks that should be considered. Actuaries are uniquely situated to help defined contribution plan sponsors, individuals, and even themselves implement the lifecycle finance approach by developing and distributing tools and methods that focus on income (rather than wealth), LDI strategies, and personalization.