Description: This article discusses the determination of the proper level of centralization of functions in a company. The author makes the case that more is not always better.

Description: Editor's preview of the September 2008 issue of the LTC Section news, including articles on claim reserves, claimant perspectives, independent providers, caregiver perspectives, and recent research. projects.

Description: Even if you are analytic and process oriented, you have the ability to be great at selling.

Description: The author shares the importance of creating a personal development plan.

Description: Update on Health Section research projects and topics, including new vision and mission statements for the Health Section Council, research and communications projects, and information about the Health Actuarial Research Initiative.

Description: How does mortality experience impact earnings under the new GAAP financial framework? This article discusses how to isolate key components from financial models related to decrements, as well as how to handle the changes in the financial reporting landscape including: the aggregation of insurance policies into cohorts, dynamic reserving, and the limitations imposed by caps and floors. Looking at the components of earnings, such as the present value of benefits, expenses, and premiums, and how these elements interact is critical to form a comprehensive earnings story.

Description: This article outlines Georgia State University’s (GSU) innovative approach to actuarial science education in response to the evolving demands of the profession, including data science, AI, and climate risk. It highlights a comprehensive pipeline that supports students from early career exploration through high school outreach, into personalized undergraduate academic paths, and onto professional readiness. Key features include project-based learning integrated into core actuarial courses, hands-on technical training in R and Python, and industry-aligned case studies.

Description: It is with great pleasure that we announce the winner of the “2024 Best Article” in Reinsurance News. Amongst a pool of exceptional articles, the article “What Does the Future of Mortality Look Like?” submitted by Adam Jedynak and Connie Cheng was chosen by the jury as the victorious submission. The article appeared in the June 2024 issue of Reinsurance News. It explores recent shifts in mortality, including post-COVID excess mortality, and looks at the impact of medical advancements and societal changes on mortality.

Description: The SECURE Act of 2019 requires an annual disclosure to participants in defined contribution plans. The intention is to help participants understand the relationship between their account balances and the estimated retirement income—that might be provided from those balances. But the disclosure requirements lack the features needed to provide meaningful information to many participants, which can be misleading if not well understood. Consequently, this provides an opportunity for actuaries to work with retirement plan sponsors to improve the disclosures.

Description: Winner of the Most Unique Vision of the Future award in the SOA’s 2022 Speculative Spectacular Fiction and Art Contest.