Description: I present my thoughts for the upcoming year. We are currently doing our planning and I am sharing with the readers the different topics we plan to cover during the year through session during SOA's meetings, webcasts, and our newsletter Taxing Time. We will also be on the watch for what in happening in the industry.

Description: There is no silver bullet to improving retirement income outcomes for retirees. However, a combination of changes can be of significant value in addressing this overlooked issue. Although QLACs on the surface have potential value, they are not nearly as efficient as they could be. So far, employer plans have provided limited options for retirement income solutions. IRAs may not cost effectively serve the best interest of retirees. Employer plans should be encouraged to become retirement income providers and alternative approaches should be considered. The current prohibition on allowing plans to modify benefit payouts based on mortality experience should be reconsidered to allow for innovative plan income designs. Improvements to the deaccumulation stage of the retiree nest egg are challenging yet necessary.

Description: This session delves into Actuarial Fairness and compares it to other fairness concepts within the context of retirement savings, exploring how these ideas influence behaviors among retirees. We explore how immediate financial pressures and complex financial decisions impact people's willingness and capability to save for retirement. The session will also review traditional retirement solutions and innovative alternatives, assessing how each aligns with fairness principles. Drawing parallels from public discourse on resource distribution in sectors like healthcare, we discuss broader implications of fairness in financial regulations and impacts on policy and decision-making in retirement planning. Learning Outcomes: Attendees will be able to: - Understand the application of fairness concepts, including Actuarial Fairness, to retirement income products. - Explore how perceptions of fairness influence retirement saving behaviors, examining personal finance challenges and the regulatory environment. - Assess innovative retirement solutions' roles in promoting fairness while upholding actuarial integrity. - Analyze the influence of legislation and public policy on the conceptualization, communication, and implementation of fairness in retirement products.

Description: Appointed actuaries are facing a number of changes in the regulatory landscape. Some of these occurred in the past few years, such as Actuarial Guideline (AG) 51 (Asset Adequacy Testing for Long-term Care Insurance). Some were very recently put in effect and are evolving, such as AG53 (Modeling and Documentation of Complex Assets). Some are quickly approaching, such as the potential changes to asset adequacy testing requirements for reinsurance ceded by life insurers.

Description: Overview of regulations and best practices for governance of PBR valuation processes, including standards, oversight, controls and review related to the PBR analysis

Description: This session will explore the financial health of rural hospitals, especially as it relates to the impact of payer cost containment strategies and government policies. Since 2005, more than 100 rural hospitals have closed and 600 more are at risk.

Description: The Academy Economic Scenario Generator is set to be replaced by a new ESG created in a partnership between the NAIC and Conning. This summer, we will present three separate webinars that will investigate the key features of the new ESG, examine the process through which it was created, and discuss what it all means for actuaries impacted by the change.

Description: As the size of the life reinsurance market in Bermuda has grown to over half a trillion dollars at the end of 2021, more and more actuaries are getting involved with this 21 square mile North Atlantic island in one way or the other. Come explore a fundamental understanding of the Bermuda solvency framework and an overview of its upcoming changes.

Description: Discussion on approaches within defined contribution retirement plans to provide retirement income as well as thoughts of how retirement plans might be structured in the future that employers will adopt that focus on retirement income delivery.

Description: Dive into the recent updates to the Bermuda Market and how this may impact current and future market players. Learn more about the Bermuda reserving and capital requirements and how the recent Bermuda Consultation Paper may impact the industry.