Description: This webinar will discuss and illustrate professionalism standards in an interactive case study format. The session will begin with a lightning round discussion with audience polling on professionalism topics and standards of investment practice. Participants will then work through several case studies in an investment context, each of which will have its own specific professionalism considerations. Audience polling and discussion will be included as part of each case study.

Description: This webcast presents findings from a recent report sponsored by the Aging and Retirement Strategic Research Program that explored the savings and retirement planning of 35- to 45-year-olds through a series of focus groups. The motivation for this effort was to gain insight into the attitudes, beliefs, and other factors that influence this age group’s savings and retirement planning. Along with findings from the report, additional context and perspectives on the broader implications of the report will be presented. These implications include its connection to other research sponsored by the Aging and Retirement Strategic Research Program and the current retirement landscape. The perspectives of different stakeholders will be considered.

Description: Explore the importance of financial well-being and current efforts to improve it for all stakeholders, including employers, insurers and individuals. With factors like the COVID-19 pandemic and economic pressures driving rapidly rising inflation, dive into this webcast to learn better preparation for retirement security. How will we meet the future challenges of financial well-being? Discover research materials from the Geneva Association, Financial Finesse and the Society of Actuaries Aging and Retirement Strategic Research Program crafted to help clients and colleagues financially plan for the future.

Description: Dedicated to those interested in the approaches of long-term pension assets, the How Should Long-Term Pension Assets Be Invested? A Debate webcast allows you to focus on where to devote your pension attention. Participants in this panel concentrate on perspectives and opinions on the direction of long-term pension assets. Expand your viewpoint on the investment of long-term pension assets by discovering other ideas about the industry. Determine how to handle your association with these assets and how to make the best move for the retirement business.

Description: Discuss a comparison of the U.S. general and insured population mortality experience and how COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 excess deaths impacted the populations differently. Discover the population mortality experience in the UK with a focus on the recent emergence of excess deaths for non-COVID causes. The long-term implications on the insured population will also be explored. Wrap up with a discussion of different conditions of long COVID, including organ impairments.

Description: The pandemic and other current events have greatly impacted the risks that individuals face during retirement. Join us to explore this topic as the results of the Society Actuaries 2021 Retirement Risk Survey are presented. Discover the findings regarding retirement concerns, preparedness and understanding individuals in the U.S. nearing retirement or those who are already retired. This marks the 11th iteration of this biennial survey completed through the SOA Research Institute’s Aging and Retirement Strategic Research Program.

Description: The NAIC is attempting to transition to a new economic scenario generator. The process has been ongoing for several years and many interesting challenges have emerged along the way. Get an overview of where this transition is at and what comparatives have been established between the existing and proposed economic scenario generators through scenario releases and field testing. A significant amount of discussion and investigation has been done concerning acceptance testing for interest rates, equities and corporate bond returns.

Description: Modeling Approaches and Challenges focuses on approaches to real world simulation and the challenges and considerations in real world simulation. Topics include: A frequency domain approach to build realistic multi-horizon scenarios. (Ortec approach) Cascade models structure linking models for major asset classes and economic variables. (Moody’s approach) Overview of models, calibrations & approaches within the context of different use cases. Deterministic & stochastic approaches. Importance of model re-calibration flexibility. We will also discuss specific insights into considerations and challenges in real world simulation, which include topics like: Setting capital market assumptions and/or calibration targets. Assumptions about correlation and causality. Calibrating the model to capital markets assumptions. Validating the model against capital market assumptions. Role of history, market data and stylized facts. Importance of back testing. Calibrating the model to multiple investment horizons. Inclusion of alterative asset classes such as private equity, infrastructure, and direct real estate. Associated issues of limited data, illiquidity and greater uncertainty about calibration targets.

Description: Emerging Applications of ESG Methods offers ground-up insights on cutting edge applications of economic scenario generation. The course will focus on the incorporation of climate change risk in scenario modeling and investment applications of ESGs. The following topics will be covered: Approaches to climate risk modeling. Climate risk is very different than classical financial economic risk. Radical uncertainty is amenable to scenario analysis and lack of data. Building special deterministic scenarios that go beyond NGFS requirements as well as bespoke scenarios. Holistic Approach to Climate Risk Modeling. Overview of different Climate Risk Modeling Applications. Use of ESG scenarios for Strategic Asset Allocation (SAA). Liquidity risk management.

Description: The Special Financial Assistance (SFA) program included in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) will provide grants to some of the more troubled multiemployer plans. While this is a welcomed relief for many multiemployer plans facing insolvency, plenty of challenges remain in the implementation of the funds and ability to maintain solvency after the SFA funds are fully utilized. Explore the challenges and opportunities from the pension relief provisions.