Description: This article provides a short history of the correction procedures previously developed to address compliance failures and the shortcomings of those procedures under sections 101f and 7702, laying the foundation for a sea change in the correction process.

Description: Award-winning essays on addressing unwanted bias in life and annuity insurance processes.

Description: This paper applies the research in Prospect Theory of Kahneman and Tversky to explain why sales of annuities lag sales of life insurance products. The author theorizes that life insurance is easier to sell because customers perceive themselves to be in the domain of losses, while potential annuity customers perceive themselves to be in the domain of gains. Kahneman and Tversky showed us that people are mostly risk averse in the domain of gains and risk seeking in the domain of losses. Purchase of an annuity or life product is a risky investment. Customers will find it easier to take the risk in the life insurance domain of losses than the annuity domain of gains. The author then proposes a hybrid life annuity product that might address both mortality and longevity risk in one product that would allow both products to be more competitive than stand-alone products.

Description: The purpose of this session is to discuss hot topics pertaining to post-LDTI GAAP valuation for FIA and RILA products including FAS 133, market risk benefits, intangibles, and ceded GAAP. At the conclusion of this session, attendees will have a clear understanding of how the industry views GAAP approaches to indexed annuity products in a post-LDTI framework. In addition, attendees will learn about ongoing pain points in GAAP valuation for indexed annuities and areas of post-LDTI GAAP where the industry still has broad variation in methodology and application.

Description: The Society of Actuaries will be offering this webinar series intended to educate and investigate aspects of life insurance, annuity, and long-term care product tax compliance. Developed by the Taxation Section, participants will be brought up to date on recent Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and learn about the newest tax issues related to product design and administration. Legal, IRS and product development experts will provide vital insights into the challenges of developing and administering products within the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) and allow ample opportunities for questions and information exchange. This session will feature legal, tax, actuarial and compliance experts. Recent legislative changes will be emphasized, including the Secure Act/Secure Act 2.0 and other items/questions that experts have seen increased industry activity.

Description: This is a session for liability side actuaries that want a summary of asset valuation principlesTopics to be discussed: why it's important in today's world to know both sides of the balance sheet.Discussion of yield curves including spot rates, forward rates, coupon rates and bootstrappingDiscussion of duration calculations including explanation of modified duration for contracts with embedded options, key rate durations.Summarize today's regulatory environment in the context of embedded options including MRB, VM21, and VM22Next, we will dive into duration profiles of different asset classes including, CLOs - floating rate, RMBS (negative convexity), traditional bonds, and swaps.Lastly, we will discuss risk neutral scenarios, martingale tests, and applications in hedging MRBs.

Description: VM-22 will be finalized during 2025 with an optional phase-in period beginning 1/1/2026 and mandatory implementation by 1/1/2029. This session will discuss the regulation, including background, calculations, high-level results from the field test and other modeling, as well as key considerations and documentation for actuaries and companies as they prepare to transition their fixed annuities into a principle-based reserve framework. Attendees will gain a clearer understanding of the new VM chapter as well as some of the thinking behind the decisions made.

Description: An overview of the evolution of equity-based guarantees (e.g. VA, FIA, etc.) over the last few years and discussion the current lay of the land as it relates to the regulatory, issues, capital markets environment in which these products are offered.

Description: Initiated by the Financial Reporting Section, this paper explores rising interest rates. Following this path, the paper will look at implications of interest rate changes for the life insurance industry, current stress testing practices, and how a risk manager can proactively prepare for an uncertain future. A paper published in 2014 focused on why rates could stay low, and some aspects of this paper are similar (e.g., description of insurance products). This paper also uses a sample model office to help practitioners look at their own exposures. It includes typical interest-sensitive insurance products and how they might perform across various scenarios, as well as a survey to establish current practices for how insurers are testing interest rate risk currently.

Description: The Society of Actuaries are once again offering a seminar that investigates all aspects of life insurance, annuity and long term care product tax compliance. Developed by the Taxation Section, participants will be brought up-to-date on recent Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and learn about the newest tax issues related to product design and administration. Legal, IRS and product development experts will provide vital insights into the challenges of developing and administering products within the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), and allow ample opportunities for networking, questions and information exchange.September 12The optional “boot camp” will provide an intense introduction to the basics of product taxation. The boot camp will include sessions focused on life insurance, annuities, and long-term care combination products. The basis of the boot camp will be the authoritative textbooks, “Life Insurance and Modified Endowments Under IRC Sections 7702 and 7702A” and the “Annuities Answer Book.” Book authors will conduct these optional programs. September 13–14The general sessions will feature product, tax, legal and compliance experts as well as Internal Revenue Service (IRS) representatives. Recent changes in the qualification requirements of insurance products and a host of product tax issues beyond Internal Revenue Code (IRC) section 7702 and 7702A will be emphasized.