This Week, Jan. 13 – 17, 2025

Academy Closed Monday for MLK Day

The Academy will be closed Monday, Jan. 20, in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day federal holiday.

OUTREACH & NEWS

Academy Presenting at Canada’s ASNA Convention This Weekend

Academy leaders are attending Canada’s Actuarial Students’ National Association (ASNA) annual convention this weekend in Niagara Falls, Ontario. President Darrell Knapp, Member-Selected Director Maambo Mujala—a past ASNA convention participant—and Claire Mickelson, manager of governance and board relations, will participate in ASNA career fairs. They will deliver presentations in English and French on what it takes to practice in the United States, becoming an Academy member, and the various free resources the Academy offers students.

Actuarially Sound Blog Covers Impacts of L.A. Fires

An Actuarially Sound blog post on the ongoing Los Angeles fires reflects on the public policy impacts of catastrophic events and climate change. The recent catastrophe underscores the ongoing intersection of insurance, government, and actuarial expertise. The Academy has consistently offered resources and insights, some of which are included in the blog post—notably, the Academy’s Climate Risk webpage, key Casualty Practice Council work products and presentations, and a Contingencies feature story on extreme events.

EDUCATION & EVENTS

February Webinars Offer CE Opportunities

Upcoming continuing education (CE) opportunities in the health, retirement, and research areas include February webinars on long-term care insurance, collective defined contribution plans, and behavioral economics research.

• Feb. 4—Insights From the PBGC Participant and Plan Sponsor Advocate will feature representatives from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) and will focus on the private-sector defined benefit system and what the PBGC can do in accordance with its statutory mission to preserve, promote, and protect the system.

• Feb. 10—Behavioral Economics in Insurance and Retirement Planning: Select Award for Research Submissions will feature presentations of three papers considered for the Academy's 2024 Award for Research, including the co-author of the winning paper, Doron Samuell. (Rescheduled from previously announced January date.)

• Feb. 13—The State of Long-Term Care Insurance: 2025, featuring members of the Long-Term Care (LTC) Committee, will share perspectives on the current state of LTC insurance, including policy design, managing legacy and in-force policies, and policyholder engagement.

• Feb. 26—Collective Defined Contribution (CDC) Plans: What Are They and Could They Work in the U.S.?, based on the recently published Retirement Policy and Design Evaluation Committee issue brief of the same name, will discuss both traditional definitions, and more generalized views, of CDC plans.

P/C, Life & Health Law Manuals Available for Order

The Academy’s P/C Loss Reserve Law Manual and Life and Health Valuation Law Manual are available for order. These useful reference tools are updated annually with statements of actuarial opinion requirements for casualty, life, and health actuaries. Order your law manuals today.

MEMBERSHIP

Visit the Academy Career Center

If you’re looking for a job or recruiting for open positions in the new year, visit the Academy’s Career Center, a member benefit that offers job openings and opportunities, automatic notifications, and the ability to apply online or post for open roles.

Reminder—Volunteer Training Webinar on Jan. 28

If you are an Academy volunteer and were unable to attend Wednesday’s training session on the two new technology systems that will be supporting the work of our committees and practice councils, the Academy will be holding a second training on Jan. 28. The systems, Box and Higher Logic, are intended to help streamline and enable virtual collaboration for committees, while fostering stronger virtual connections and community-building for volunteers. RSVP here.

PUBLIC POLICY

Public Policy in Brief

• The Life Practice Council provided comments to the NAIC Life Actuarial Task Force’s (LATF) exposures: Asset Adequacy Testing (AAT) for Reinsurance Actuarial Guideline (AG) Exposure Questions 111824, AAT for Reinsurance AG Presentation LATF 111524, and Draft AG ReAAT 111524.

• LATF met this week to discuss the Academy’s draft illustration actuary knowledge statements, as well as to review public comments on the previously exposed appointed and qualified actuary knowledge statements. Academy volunteers, including Rhonda Ahrens and Linda Lankowski, provided input and answered questions during the conference call. Work continues on the three life actuary knowledge statements, as well as the health appointed actuary knowledge statements.

Visit the Public Policy webpage to stay on top of the latest news and activity.

2025 EVENTS CALENDAR

• Jan. 28: Academy Volunteer Training—Box and Higher Logic

• Feb. 4: Insights From the PBGC Participant and Plan Sponsor Advocate

• Feb. 10: Behavioral Economics in Insurance and Retirement Planning: Select Award for Research Submissions

• Feb. 13: The State of Long-Term Care Insurance: 2025

• Feb. 26: Collective Defined Contribution (CDC) Plans: What Are They and Could They Work in the U.S.?

• Feb. 27: The Academy’s New Membership Requirements: What You Need to Know

• March TBD: Deep Dive on the Code (professionalism webinar)

• April 2–4: Academy Hill visits; Washington, D.C.

• May 22–23: Insuring the Future: Insurance Investment Summit; New York City

• June 12: Future of Retirement Symposium; Washington, D.C.

• Sept. 8–10: Casualty Loss Reserve Seminar; Philadelphia

• September TBD: Health Equity & Behavioral Health Symposium; Washington, D.C.

• Nov. 17–20: Life and Health Qualifications Seminar; Arlington, Va.

• Dec. 8–9: Seminar on Effective P/C Loss Reserve Opinions; Salt Lake City

Visit the 2025 Events Calendar for a complete listing of Academy events, including links to post-webinar slides and recordings via Academy Learning.