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A look at how advances in data crunching are changing science, medicine, business, and technology included an anecdote about how actuaries and the Academy used catastrophe models and terabytes of data to estimate the insured losses that could result from various types of terrorist attacks. The feature also cited the Academy's 2006 analysis of terrorism risk coverage for the President's Working group on Financial Markets.

The Academy's issue brief, Medicare's Financial Condition: Beyond Actuarial Balance, was cited in an editorial. The actuaries wrote,"The sooner the solutions are enacted, the more effective and gradual they can be. Moreover, the early introduction of reforms increases the time available for affected individuals and organizations — including health care providers, beneficiaries and taxpayers — to adjust their expectations."

Donna Claire, the chairperson of the Academy's Life Financial Soundness/Risk Management Committee, discussed new mortality tables and their implications for how insurance policies are marketed. 

A review of the presidential candidates' positions on reforming Social Security provided a link to the Academy's Social Security Reform Options monograph.

The Academy's September 2006 issue brief on medical insurance pools was discussed by state Sen. Leonard Fasano. The Connecticut Senate was considering a bill to open the state employee insurance pool to municipal employees on a voluntary basis.

The North American Actuarial Council's request that the Academy draw more attention to Americans' increasing lifespans was discussed. The letter, signed by 15 presidents and presidents-elect of North American actuarial associations, warned that failure to adapt to increasing longevity could threaten the viability of many financial security arrangements.

The Academy's issue brief providing an actuarial perspective on the 2008 Medicare Trustees Report was cited. The brief stated that fixing Medicare's 75-year deficit would require an immediate 122 percent increase in the Medicare payroll tax, a 51 percent cut in benefits, or a combination of the two.

Ron Gebhardtsbauer, the Academy's former senior pension fellow, discussed the advantages of waiting to collect Social Security benefits. He said, "Waiting until age 70 gives you a much bigger income for the rest of your life."

Outgoing Academy Executive Director Kevin Cronin was the featured guest and offered an update on the actuarial profession, background on the Academy, a summary of recent Academy accomplishments, and a look ahead.

Bruce Schobel, chairperson of the Academy's Retirement Security Principles Task Force, revealed some of the lesser-known facts about Social Security.

Ron Gebhardtsbauer, the Academy's senior pension fellow, warned that baby boomers who retire early will forever reduce not only their Social Security benefit, but their spouses' as well. He says the longer you and your spouse live, the more you lose.

Just days before the South Carolina Democratic primary, an editorial focused on the lack of "comprehensive attention" from presidential candidates and Congress on Social Security and Medicare's financial problems. The editorial cited the Academy's issue brief, Medicare's Financial Condition: Beyond Actuarial Balance.

Academy Senior Pension Fellow Ron Gebhardtsbauer was quoted. Gebhardtsbauer said early baby boomers are more likely to have a defined benefit pension from their employer compared to younger baby boomers.

The Academy was cited as the source of median retirement ages for males and females in 2001 and 2006.

The Academy was cited for its analysis concluding that boomers who live the longest stand to lose the most by collecting early Social Security benefits. The Academy also collaborated with the newspaper to create a calculator to help readers determine how much could be gained or lost--depending on how long a retiree lives. The Academy's Senior Pension Fellow Ron Gebhardtsbauer also was cited as the source of a complementary graphic that contained the probabilities of 62-year-old males, females, and couples living to various ages.

Academy Committee on Property and Liability Financial Reporting  (COPLFR) Chairperson Marc Oberholtzer wrote an article based on the committee's overview of the loss reserving process. The overview includes a sample checklist of actuarial information that might be helpful to P/C insurers' audit committees and boards of directors.

Academy Senior Health Fellow Cori Uccello urged the presidential candidates to start paying attention to Medicare's financial difficulties. "Candidates need to break the silence, acknowledge the problem, and begin a public dialogue that addresses the tradeoffs necessary to ensure Medicare's future," Uccello wrote. Her commentary was published during the height of primary season, which brings national attention to New Hampshire, who holds the nation's first primary.

Academy Senior Pension Fellow Ron Gebhardtsbauer was quoted. He said that a traditional pension plan generally suits older employees better than a 401(k), because of how benefits are calculated.

The Academy was mentioned in a jobs section feature that explored the actuarial profession. 

The Academy's Senior Pension Fellow Ron Gebhardtsbauer discussed inflation risk and offered a few suggestions on how to manage this risk.

Academy Senior Pension Fellow Ron Gebhardtsbauer discussed retirement planning and the value of an actuarial approach to making retirement decisions.

Academy Senior Pension Fellow Ron Gebhardtsbauer discussed what to consider when deciding the age to begin collecting Social Security benefits. He said if you are going to live past 80, it's better to wait. 

An Academy Flood Insurance Subcommittee letter to congressional leaders was discussed. The letter identified concerns with a proposal to expand the National Flood Insurance Program.

The Academy's Social Security Game was cited. 

The Academy was cited as a source of life expectancy data in a feature about the growth in phased retirements, which is increasing the ranks of seniors who remain in the work force.

The Academy's issue brief, Women and Social Security, was discussed. The brief reports that females are more reliant on Social Security, yet on average, receive lower benefits than males.

Academy Senior Pension Fellow Ron Gebhardtsbauer was quoted. Gebhardtsbauer said that collecting early benefits from Social Security only makes sense if you do not live past your break-even age, but if you plan on living longer than your break-even age, it could be a good idea to delay receiving benefits. 

The Academy's Social Security Game was discussed.