Hello ASEA!

Oct. 15 has finally passed. A day even spookier than Halloween! Which explains all the treats in the kitchen area at work for those hard at work on their 5500s.

Let’s take a flashback to our May issue in which Tiffany Myers, Manager, Actuarial Services at the Cash Balance Center of Excellence, started her string of being a great source for articles in the ASEA Monthly. I wrote “I predict the next writer, Tiffany Myers, will be in the Leadership Council within the next few years.” I was so happy to see her name among those in the current slate of candidates for our Leadership Council (and it did not take years!). Tiffany strikes again with a terrific article on the Thrive Mentoring Program, which you can find here (Congrats Tiffany!): https://www.asppa-net.org/news/ara-thrive-mentoring-program 

Noting that same issue gave a shout-out to David Kupstas, who has been acting as the ASEA Monthly’s technical reviewer. Congrats to David as well for his slot in the current election as Executive Vice President of the LC. And congrats, of course, all on the ballot.

With this great line-up of past and present writers, I hope you will be honored when I personally bug you to write a technical article for an upcoming issue of the ASEA Monthly. 

I did not expect the next article from Elizabeth Duda, our ARA Manager, to hit home as much as it does. Even the choice of words she uses to describe the work of a pension professional—‘meticulous,, ‘strong commitment,’ and ‘overwhelming’—resonate with me. I have two young actuary-hopefuls working with me, and they are just getting their first glimpses of just HOW MUCH there is to learn. Great article….which you can find here: https://www.asppa-net.org/news/oct-15-deadlines-and-you 

Now that Halloween is almost past, we turn our heads forward towards Thanksgiving and the Christmas Season. And like Sugarplum Fairies, visions of eventual retirement dance in my head (though that won’t be for a decade-plus). And I do think of my Social Security quite a bit. So we end this article with a double-header of articles on Social Security, both by ARA’s very own John Iekel. You can find those articles here: https://www.asppa-net.org/news/enjoy-next-decade-positive-social-security-balances%E2%80%A6-0 and https://www.asppa-net.org/news/crs-highlights-proposals-new-proportional-formula-wep-0 

Didn’t like that Monday, Oct. 16 was also 5500-centric. At least this weekend will be completely 5500-free.

Best!
Alan