Description: The article discusses the recent final and proposed regulations published by the IRS and Treasury on the required minimum distribution rules for qualified plans, which implement changes made by SECURE 1.0 and SECURE 2.0. The article is intended to identify the important rules in the final regulations, provide a framework for determining how the rules apply to beneficiaries of qualified plans and IRAs, describe the key differences between the earlier 2022 proposed regulations and the final regulations, and it summarizes the SECURE 2.0 provisions contained in the new proposed regulations.

Description: A pension actuary and a life actuary collaborate to express public pension liability and asset issues in terms and figures that an insurer would use

Description: A brief introduction to a new SOA research on liability-driven investment benchmark model.

Description: This article discusses the shortfalls present in most retirement planning software. Some of these come from the design of the software and some from unsophisticated use of it. In any case, the resources needed for retirement are often understated.

Description: This is an interview of actuary Cary Franklin who responds to various questions about multiemployer plans with the intent of educating those readers who do not practice in that area.

Description: This article is about papers submitted in response to a Retirement 20/20 call for submission of papers about Tier II retirement systems, i.e. those that are employer-provided retirement benefits that fit between social insurance and private savings.

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.

Description: This article provides a basic introduction to the taxation of qualified annuities held in qualified retirement plans and IRAs. The article has been updated for the SECURE Act and the SECURE 2.0 Act. The article describes the basic types of employer-based plans, provides of overview of the taxation of contributions and benefits when annuities are held in connection with plans and IRAs, explains the required minimum distribution rules, and offers a brief introduction to recent legislation impacting qualified annuities.

Description: Summary of the annual cost-of-living adjustment and changes in other wage-indexed programs parameters for Social Security in 2024.

Description: Measuring Fair Value for Participation Units of Stable Value Pooled Funds