Description: This article provides a review of the single-employer funding rules under the Pension Protection Act of 2006 'PPA,' reflecting regulatory guidance through December 2007. The discussion does not cover special issues for hybrid plans and does not consider at-risk calculations or benefit restriction rules.

Description: This article provides information on the valuation of liabilities, in particular, lump sums, under the Pension protection Act. From the Pension Section News, September 2008, Issue No. 68.

Description: This study note discusses the history of the Insurance programs and changes made through legislation.

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: The SOA conducted a study of uninsured pension plan mortality in response to The Retirement Protection Act of 1994 and to ensure that the Treasury Department would have current and thorough information available when it considers updating the mandatory mortality table to be used when when calculating Current Liabilities for pension plans. The purpose of this report is to provide actuaries with all of the significant findings of the study along with a full explanation of when and how these should be used in reviewing or setting mortality rates for specific plans.

Description: The presenters will provide an update on recent developments impacting U.S. retirement plans, such as regulatory guidance, new legislative proposals, recent court cases and recent trends. Experienced pension actuaries will share their perspectives on these issues and discuss how plan sponsors are being impacted.

Description: A review of the Australian retirement incomes system and an assessment of necessary changes to improve its effectiveness.

Description: The article endorses broader use of lifetime income in DC plans. It explains why the use of DB plans will continue to decline. The article points out that plans sponsors will not willingly take on additional ERISA fiduciary exposure. The article endorses three regulatory reforms that would increase the use of lifetime income in DC plans. 1. A robust annuity issuer safe harbor that would free employers from fiduciary exposure for putting an annuity provider on the DC platform. 2. A requirement that a plan offer a lifetime income option to qualify for the 404(c) safe harbor. 3. A revision to 404(c) to allow plan sponsors to allocate part or all of the employer match to lifetime income.

Description: This article, another in the popular series devoted to tax basics, provides an overview of how the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the law governing employment-based retirement and health plans, impacts the use of annuities in pension and 401(k) plans. The article explains which types of plans are subject to ERISA, and which are not; why the concept of "plan assets" is critical; what duties an insurance company or distributor might take on when an annuity is placed with a retirement plan; and finally what disclosures may be required. The article also includes a brief introduction to terminal funding annuities. This article is intended for those with no prior experience in ERISA. Because the vast majority of retirement assets are saved originally in employment based plans like pension and 401(k) plans, understanding the basics of ERISA is important for anyone who will have a career in annuities and life insurance.

Description: This paper discusses the reasons for the trend toward phased retirement and looks at the legal and actuarial aspects of phased retirement as they apply to a simple defined-benefit plan.