Description: A reprint of testimony Carol Bogosian made to the ERISA Advisory Council providing guidance on employee disclosures based on SOA post retirement research.

Description: Discusses the Strategic Research Program Initiative Task Force

Description: Tom Toale discusses the importance of behavioral economics

Description: This essay explores the role that the emerging defined contribution retirement system may be playing in the growth of wealth inequality in the United States. The current system leaves many Americans with little or no retirement savings. Those with higher accumulation levels appear to invest proportionally more in equities, which may have an exponential effect of balances over long time periods. The author hypothesizes that willingness to take investment risk involves the relationship between the amount an investor has accumulated and what she/he needs in order to cover basic costs of living. This is one reason that investors with greater accumulation levels may be able to earn higher rates of return. The essay concludes by suggesting that the U.S. defined contribution system should include all workers and provide additional fiduciary guidance. Examples reforms, both in the U.S. and other countries, are provided.

Description: This paper addresses some of the issues arising from the combination of lower birth rates and increasing life expectancy, which have become more pronounced over the past 40 years in Canada and many other countries, too. The paper examines the effect of a gradual increase in retirement ages in order to attempt to maintain the “senior dependency ratio” at or close to its current level.

Description: Chapter 2 of the Models For Retirement Policy Analysis. This chapter describes microsimulation analysis and the basic features of microsimulation models. It provides background for the description of each of the microsimulation models reviewed in this report. Strengths and limitations of these models are addressed.

Description: In this video, Steve Siegel, a Senior Practice Research Actuary at the Society of Actuaries Research Institute, introduces a report titled “What Retirement Plan Features Do Employees Really Want?” He discusses the methodology behind the research, which involved a survey and around 25,000 adults in the US using Conjoint Analysis. Siegel highlights key findings from the report, including preferences relating to retirement planning, availability of retirement plans, accessing benefits, risk tolerance, and leaving a legacy. He also mentions the Choice Simulator Tool, an Excel dashboard developed to explore benefit preferences further, and available for download. Contributors: Steve Siegel, ASA, MAAA; Rose Northon; Jon Forster ASA, MAAA

Description: Discusses the recent firing of the Social Security Commissioner and the president's legal authority to do so.

Description: This paper is a concept for U.S. pension reform.

Description: Read the February 2018 issue of Retirement Section News published by the Retirement Section. Newsletters provide practical information for the working actuary, articles on trends that impact sections and news about section activities.