Annual Meeting Public Plan Sessions

In 2014 the CCA published the definitive white paper on actuarial funding policies and practices for public pension plans. The CCA Public Plans Community is currently revising the white paper to reflect practical experience with white paper model practices as well as new ASOP requirements. Panelists discuss the proposed revisions.

Speakers explore technical aspects and implications of service purchase programs in public employee retirement systems.

Panelists review the DOL, ERISA, and other federal regulations that apply to public plans and their members. Recent changes, proposed legislation, and notable litigation are also addressed.

Some public plans allow both affiliation and disaffiliation. Why and how does this happen? What are the typical practices? Come and listen in and/or participate in an in-depth discussion of the complexities of allowing disaffiliation from public pension plans, particularly for a plan in an underfunded position.

Retirement benefit plan designs can influence the workforce behavior, attracting young new hires and encouraging others to retire or terminate. For example, DROPs (Deferred Retirement Option Plans) may be used to retain older employees. Early Retirement Windows (including potential coordination with Retiree Health enhancements) may incentivize older members to retire. Enhanced Defined Benefit plan provisions and/or Defined Contribution supplemental plans might attract younger people. Additionally, employers covering all or part of member contributions can be utilized as well.

The Public Plans Community meets to discuss current issues, outlooks, and news. Neither CCA nor Public Plans Community membership is required to attend.

In December 2021, the Actuarial Standards Board (ASB) adopted a revision to Actuarial Standard of Practice (ASOP) No. 4, Measuring Pension Obligations and Determining Pension Plan Costs or Contributions. The revised ASOP No. 4 is effective for any actuarial report that is issued on or after February 15, 2023 and the measurement date in the actuarial report is on after February 15, 2023. The revision to ASOP No. 4 that has received the most attention in the public plan actuarial community is the required calculation and disclosure of a liability referred to by the ASOP as the “Low-Default-Risk Obligation Measure” (LDROM). However, there are other very significant revisions included in the revision to ASOP No. 4 that are worthy of discussion and scrutiny, including the calculation and disclosure of a reasonable actuarially determined contribution “reasonable ADC” and additional guidance regarding amortization methods, funding policy and contribution allocation procedures. Please join us as the speakers discuss all of the revised requirements of ASOP No. 4 – not just the elephant in the room (LDROM requirement).

This is an open forum on topics of interest to public sector actuaries. The topics are selected by session attendees and may include: funding to surplus; volatility management; impact of higher interest rates on plan design; economic assumptions including ASOP 27; and ASOP 4’s low-default-risk obligation measure (LDROM).