Discount Rates in Financial Reporting
A Practical Guide

The IAA is pleased to announce the successful completion of our Educational Monograph on Discount Rates.

Determination of Discount Rates is clearly a key topic today and will continue to be well into the future. The use of discount rates applies to most actuarial calculations.

The educational monograph addresses the concepts and practical methods that are being used in the application of the discounting process for the purpose of financial reporting for (1) insurance companies and (2) pension and employee benefits obligations on the sponsor entity. It provides a number of case studies based on real life examples as performed globally by actuaries, insurance companies, and pension plan sponsors.

Kurt Wolfsdorf, President of the International Actuarial Association, stated “Publication of this monograph on discount rates is a key milestone. The monograph addresses how actuaries are applying professional judgement when selecting discount rates for the determination of the present value of liability cash flows in our current challenging environment. It takes a global perspective on how they are assessing risk free discount rates, credit risk, liquidity risk as well as sovereign risk. These challenging topics are explored. In addition real practical case studies are provided. A must read for anyone in the field!”

This monograph forms an important part of the IAA’s research and educational objectives, to facilitate and provide useful educational material that is accessible to actuaries everywhere.

This project has been made possible through the generous support of the following actuarial organizations:

• The Actuarial Foundation’s James C.H. Anderson Fund (United States)
• Canadian Institute of Actuaries (Canada)
• Casualty Actuarial Society (United States)
• Financial Reporting Section of the Society of Actuaries (United States)
• Actuaries Institute Australia (Australia)
• Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (United Kingdom)

In addition to their financial support, these organizations appointed representatives who have provided technical guidance and ongoing monitoring of the project as members of the ad hoc Project Oversight Group (APOG) created to oversee the project. Other members include the leadership of the IAA Committees on Enterprise and Financial Risk, Insurance Accounting and Pensions and Employee Benefits. The author team was Milliman, Inc. an independent actuarial and consulting firm.

You can order your copy online.