Description: The presenters will discuss recent developments related to the federal qualification and taxation of life insurance and annuity contracts. Among other topics, there will be a focus on comparing and contrasting life insurance product qualification in the U.S. under IRC sections 7702 and 7702A versus qualification in Canada under the 'exempt test' of the Income Tax Act, which has been revised in recent years. Discussion will include comparisons of Canadian provisions to U.S. definition of life insurance and Modified Endowment Contract concepts.

Description: Presenters will explore how climate risks are measured scientifically, and in what ways the insurance and reinsurance industries can play a larger role in managing risk. In an accessible manner and assuming no scientific background from the audience, we will review and discuss the background of climate science, and the unique role that the insurance industry can play. Specifically, we will discuss outcomes from a recent interdisciplinary workshop, 'The Nexus of Climate Data, Insurance, and Adaptive Capacity,' held November 2018 at The Collider in Asheville, NC. The workshop facilitated a national, interdisciplinary scientific research discussion on modeling and managing climate change risks between three different, but related research communities: the climate modeling and data community, statisticians, and researchers within the insurance and reinsurance industries. Co-sponsors of the workshop include the Society of Actuaries (SOA), the Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS), the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Statistics and Applied Mathematical Sciences Institute (SAMSI)

Description: With the growth in SOA podcasts over recent years, here’s your chance to be part of the “live studio audience” for an upcoming podcast release. Inspired by The Social and The View, join us in our talk show setting as we discuss current and emerging topics in the actuarial profession, with incoming SOA President Andy Rallis as one of the many guests we’ll bring to the stage just after Tuesday’s Presidential Luncheon. This rapid-fire session will incorporate audience participation, opportunities to be part of the podcast during question-and-answer sessions and highlight new SOA section, research and education activities. Stay tuned after the meeting to listen in to the session through SOA podcast feeds.

Description: The Required Minimum Distribution RMD working group of the Taxation Section has completed research in determining the actuarial present value of additional benefits for computing RMD under deferred annuity contracts. This is Appendix G spreadsheet for the Determining the Actuarial Present Value of Certain Additional Benefits for a two tiered fixed annuity benefit Under Treas. Reg. Section 1.401a9–6, Q&A–12 research project. Please see the SOA website research section for the full report and other appendices spreadsheets.

Description: The Required Minimum Distribution RMD working group of the Taxation Section has completed research in determining the actuarial present value of additional benefits for computing RMD under deferrred annuity contracts. This is Appendix B Example 2 spreadsheet for GMDB for this research project. Please see the SOA website research section for the full report and excel spreadsheet for the other appendices.

Description: This article explores the complexities and potential problems with respect to tax reserves that could result from a retroactive application of a principle-based reserves PBR approach for life insurance reserves.

Description: A discussion of Section 7702 and age 100 insured and the need for guidance on combined annuity and long-term care contracts

Description: A discussion of the Open Transaction Doctrine and how it was applied to prevent current inclusion of taxable gains resulting from the sale of stock acquired in a demutualization.

Description: In March 2010, Congress codified the judicial economic substance doctrine in an effort to raise revenue as part of the health care reform legislation.1 The law provides for strict liability penalties of 20 percent for understated taxes and refund claims that result from transactions that lack economic substance. In July 2011, the commissioner of the Large Businessand International Division LB&I of the IRS evidently recognized this state of uncertainty and issued very helpful guidance to all LB&I examiners to fill the void on guidance for economic substance..

Description: This article discusses several issues related to the IRS and taxation. These include partial exchanges of non-qualified annuity contracts, Long Term Care features on Annuity or Life contracts, and the applicability of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act [FATCA] to Life Insurance Campanies and products.