Description: In the U.S. in the late 1980’s, the Internal Revenue Service was taking steps to try to institute explicit boundaries for the actuarial assumptions being used in 'funding' valuations to determine the appropriate contribution levels for small pension plans. This article was written in the context of that environment, to defend the rights of actuaries to their professional judgement. The courts eventually supported this perspective.

Description: The 2016 Transition Rules for ASA Candidates provides the transition credit candidates will receive if they have completed a current requirement by July 1, 2018. Candidates who have completed requirements under previous systems have them first moved to the current system using previous transition rules and then moved to the new system.

Description: The April 2016 Issue of The Modeling Platform

Description: Noteworthy Reads has a simple aim—to inform our readers of good sources on models; specifically, to point out sources beyond what we can include in a newsletter. Noteworthy Reads will select a few and provide mini-reviews.

Description: What does “accountable” mean? You will see how the accountability culture can transform spectators into protagonists following the Four Steps to Accountability.

Description: This article discusses the implications of the competition actuaries face from “financial engineers.”

Description: In the midst of the financial crisis, a group of actuaries, representing the Joint Risk Management Section, the Investment Section, the International Network of Actuarial Risk Managers, and the Enterprise Risk Management Institute International published an extensive list of articles entitled, “Risk Management: The Current Financial Crisis, Lessons Learned and Future Implications”.

Description: A roundtable discussion of changes in the nature of actuarial work and the skills actuaries will need to be successful in the future.

Description: Candidates, educators and employers need to know about the changes to the Validation by Education Experience (VEE). The changes to the VEE requirements start July 1, 2018. Before discussing them, it is important to understand some basics about VEE.

Description: An account of the trials of work ethic issues and college difficulties, and the triumphant story of overcoming obstacles through careful self-improvement.