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ASEA Monthly
Hello ACOPA–
Change is in the air! Except for the horribly cold day we had in New York, and my recent 48-hour encounter with bad oysters, most of the changes are good ones!
The first big change is the changing of the guard within ACOPA leadership. We said goodbye to the great John Markley after...
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Recently I caught up with longtime actuary and ACOPA member Daveyne Totten, who agreed to answer a few questions about herself.
Q: Where are you from? And where do you live?
A: I was born in Vermont, but grew up in Fayetteville, NY (east of Syracuse). After working in the New York City...
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I wrote an article for the October 2019 ACOPA Monthly titled “A Great Way to Get Continuing Education.” In that article, I explained the benefits of becoming an item writer for the enrollment exams and mentioned that item writers get 6 hours of CE credit each year. Good news: it’s actually 9 hours...
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I am excited to write my first ACOPA Monthly article as ACOPA President. Not even a month has passed since we changed leadership at ASPPA Annual, and I have some exciting news to share.
But first, I’d like to thank the Leadership Council (LC) for their hard work this past year. Ray Berry, Sara...
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A recent report contends that changes enacted under the Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA) of 2018 has led to a noticeable jump in withdrawals.
The white paper from Fidelity Investments – “Hardship Withdrawals: Improving the well-being of those who take them” – explains that since passage of the BBA the...
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This may be my last ACOPA Monthly article as President. I would like to summarize the year, describe the success of the Actuarial Symposium in Chicago on August 9-10, and set the stage for the future.
I have been the first President to have a full year with Marty Pippins as Executive Director of...
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Before getting into the main point of this article, a brief history lesson. We all know that the Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries exists. But why?
The Joint Board was created by ERISA, which ordered the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of the Treasury to establish a Joint Board for...
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Hello ACOPA –
It’s been 2 months since August’s ACOPA Actuarial Symposium and now the Form 5500 deadline is almost behind us. Next stop is Thanksgiving in this quick-moving year!
After 4 years of writing exam questions for the EA-2L exam, I am excited to start serving as a Co-Chair of that exam...
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It’s not too late. Not too late for what, you ask? Not too late to sign up for the 2019 ACOPA Symposium. This year’s symposium will be held on Aug. 9-10 at the Doubletree by Hilton in Chicago. Regular registration ends Aug. 2, so time is running out fast.
As in the past, this year’s symposium...
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The 2019 ACOPA Symposium will be held in Chicago on Aug. 9-10. The 2019 Symposium is the 14th such event, almost all of which have been held in Chicago. (I can think of few cities in this country I’d rather visit in the summer than Chicago!)
The first Symposium was held on Aug. 18-19, 2006; as...
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The value of ACOPA for pension actuaries was on display during the recent Government Affairs Committee (GAC) meetings in Washington, D.C. Through GAC activities, ACOPA actuaries have the ability to provide input to governmental agencies and staffers of senators and members of the House of...
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On June 27, 2019, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) published proposed regulations that cover a variety of corrections, clarifications and improvements. These are now open to public comment, with comments accepted up to Aug. 26, 2019. The ACOPA Government Affairs Committee will be...
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Hola! ACOPA –
Just returned from a week away in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. For the first time since email was invented, I spent a week away without responding to any work emails.
Admittedly, I looked at most of them, but I didn’t answer any. Not sure why I used to get so stressed out about it in the...
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I hope to see as many ACOPA members as possible at the Actuarial Symposium in Chicago on August 9 and 10. Chicago is a great location for an event in summer time – any free time can be spent outside! For the past several years, attendance has been increasing and we are hoping to improve over last...
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In a big win for ACOPA and the lobbying efforts of its members, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) is expected to finalize a proposal that would allow employers to request coverage determinations prior to establishment of a plan, as part of a new formal process where the PBGC would...
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Where are you from/where do you live now?
Dallas/Georgia.
What was your first job in the field?
Coopers & Lybrand in Chicago.
Favorite actuarial moment?
Receiving my FSPA.
Volunteer activities through the years?
Writing up information for 401(a)(26).
Any advice you’d give...
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Join us at the 2019 ACOPA Actuarial Symposium, Aug. 9-10. Chicago is an easy destination for most, and offers beautiful weather in August.
Earn continuing education, most of which is specifically related to your practice. Topics include:
A close look at IRC 404 and 430
IRC 436 tips and traps...
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Hello ACOPA–
Somehow, paying out terminated vested benefits has become my main (and bane of my) existence recently. From preparation of an increasing number of ben apps from a larger pool of clients and participants, to keeping track of who received 30-day notices before forcing out, to the...
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Recently, many of our colleagues have received inquiries about “401(h) plans.” A 401(h) is not a type of plan but rather an ancillary benefit of a defined benefit plan. A 401(h) account provides a highly efficient way to fund retiree health benefits. Contributions to the account are tax-deductible...
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This column is to update ACOPA members on the view of progress from the President of ACOPA.
Much ACOPA leadership time in recent months has been spent on responding to September 2018 actions of the American Academy of Actuaries. To briefly review, the Academy voted to remove ACOPA and the...
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