Description: This report compares the CIA pricing method for estimating group annuity closeout pricing to methods used in the US.

Description: Full version of Risks and Rewards Newsletter, October 1998, Issue No. 31.

Description: This is a summary of a new research paper entitled: “Determining Discount Rates Required to Fund Defined Benefit Plans” by John Turner and three other economists, which describes a new way to look at pension funding for ongoing plans that is a variant of using expected returns (currently used in public plans) that takes into account the risk that contributions will be needed in the future for this year’s benefit accruals.

Description: This study examines reductions in retirement benefits from the decline in defined benefit plans and increases in defined contribution plans during the past 20 years and what effect this has on workforce management. In particular how this change is affecting older workers’ decisions to retire and what effect this could have on companies. An underlying assumption implicit in evaluating the benefit of retirement of older workers is that productivity declines in old age while pay does not, leading to a pay productivity gap that could have an adverse effect on the employer from delayed retirement. The validity of this assumption was also examined.

Description: This article provides an update on the development of model regulations for synthetic GICs and guaranteed separate account products.

Description: This paper analyzes which of the factors that affect retirement mortality determined in Phase I of the FARM project should be added to the existing mortality studies of the Society of Actuaries. Some factors were added or modified and two were dropped from those in Phase I.

Description: Mortality rates affect many facets of an actuary’s work. The ability to collect more detailed data and the possibilities presented by more advanced analytical tools influenced the Society of Actuaries to embark on this two-phased project examining the factors affecting retirement mortality. Phase I of the project includes a comprehensive literature search and summary identifying 12 factors linked to mortality experience at or after age 65- age, alcohol, education, gender, health behaviors, income, marital status, obesity, occupation, race & ethnicity, religion and smoking. In Phase II of the project, existing Society of Actuaries experience studies are reviewed to see which factors could be added to the studies. This phase also considers methods for reflecting the additional factors in the mortality tables. This web page contains links to the Phase I and Phase II reports and supporting documentation.

Description: This article discusses the affects of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 PPA primarily in relation to defined benefits pension DB plans.

Description: Highlights a new research paper on determining discount rates for pension plans, by John Turner. The paper breaks new ground on deciding on the appropriate discount rate for untradeable benefit obligations, with a comprehensive summary of the field.