Description: Issued in 2004 with provisions effective in 2006-2009, the United States accounting standard, GASB 45, requires local and state governments to account for their post-retirement medical and life insurance programs on an accrual basis for the first time. This standard is creating new demands for actuarial services. This article is written for the experienced private sector post-retirement medical plan actuaries with a strong FAS 106 background who are now working on GASB 45 valuations. For these actuaries, there are many similarities between a FAS 106 valuation and a GASB 45 valuation, but there are also many differences.

Description: This article looks at our use of technology- then and now. A reprinted article from the very first Pension Section News in June 1989, written by Barbara Choyke and titled '1,100 View SOA’s First Teleconference,' is juxtaposed against a view of today’s webcast communications.

Description: The purpose of this article is to demonstrate that the virtues of “marked-to-market” pension accounting are greatly exaggerated for both public and private pension plans. It is demonstrated that the “marked-to-market” paradigm, as applied to pensions, is based on a questionable economic foundation and may produce plenty of “misinformation” of its own. From the Pension Section News, September 2008, Issue No. 68.

Description: In this inaugural, rotating-author column from CERAs Chartered Enterprise Risk Analysts, Minaz Lalani provides insights into the different actions that key stakeholders governments, employers, markets/financial institutions and individuals can take to manage the systemic risks that affect retirement systems in the current environment.

Description: In this article, the authors focus on the disparities for women and minorities in retirement security with emphasis on issues that may be of particular interest to actuaries. From Pension Section News, October 2011, Issue No. 75.

Description: The Society of Actuaries’ Committee on Life Insurance Research, the Committee on Knowledge Extension Research, and the Product Development Section announce the release of a new report that provides an overview and analysis of the mortality models, theories and trends contained in the papers presented at the past four international Living to 100 symposia. Authored by Jennifer Haid, Michael Chan and Christopher Raham of Ernst & Young, this paper offers an overview of the technical materials related to data sources, validation techniques, and methodologies used by practitioners to develop mortality estimates for present and future periods. A summary of discussions regarding business, policy and social implications of increased longevity is also included.

Description: This article presents excerpts from a recently released paper by the Committee on Post Retirement Needs and Risks.

Description: Description of focus group research conducted in 2013 by the Committee on Post-Retirement Needs and Risks. The purpose of this study was to gain understanding of how people make decisions about when to retire and about managing financial risks in retirement. Eight focus groups of financially resource constrained retirees who had retired voluntarily were interviewed. The report offers many quotes from retirees and a chance to “give a face” to much of what we say about retirement.

Description: Column highlighting the upcoming release for RP2014/MP-2014, rationale for new scales including two-dimensional mortality projection techniques and upcoming SOA educational opportunities on these topics.

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.