This Week, Feb. 17 - 21, 2025

MEMBERSHIP

Next Week—New Membership Requirements Webinar

Calling all members to spread the word about an opportunity for your teams and prospective MAAAs to learn about the Academy’s new member requirements. Next week’s New Membership Requirements Webinar will offer details on the Academy’s Competency Framework and the membership requirements for new members that will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026. It will be held on Thursday, Feb. 27—register today.

New Volunteer Collaboration Tool ‘Academy Connect’ Launches

Academy Connect officially launches today! This new platform enhances volunteer collaboration with streamlined communication and easy access to resources, including links to Box.com to access other vital volunteer resources. 

Volunteers should have received two emails this week with access instructions:

• Box Access—An email from the Academy’s IT team (Noel Goodwin) to access the Volunteer Admin Center—please accept before it expires.

• Academy Connect Access—Instructions on accessing your online communities.

Volunteer Training Webinar—If you missed last month’s volunteer training on our newest volunteer engagement technology, or would like to watch it again, click here and log in to your member account. For questions or assistance with these platforms please contact your committee staff liaison. 

Share your feedback—The deadline for the Volunteer Feedback Survey has been extended to next Friday, Feb. 28. Volunteers are also encouraged to submit their annual conflict of interest and continuing education (COI/CE) acknowledgements today.

• Interested in volunteering? For information on how to become an Academy volunteer, visit the volunteer webpage or contact Volunteer and Member Engagement Manager Tony Washington (volunteer@actuary.org; 202-223-8196).

OUTREACH & NEWS

Order Your P/C, Life & Health Law Manuals Today

The Academy’s P/C Loss Reserve Law Manual and Life and Health Valuation Law Manual are available for order. These useful reference tools are updated annually with statements of actuarial opinion requirements for casualty, life, and health actuaries, with the latest for all states and territories. Order your copy today. 

Academy Offers Professionalism Outreach in Philadelphia

Presenting education on professionalism topics is part of the Academy's service to and self-regulation structure for the profession. Council on Professionalism and Education member David Driscoll was the most recent volunteer to perform this important service, speaking at Wednesday’s meeting of the Actuaries Club of Philadelphia. Driscoll, a prolific speaker and immediate past chairperson of the Actuarial Board for Counseling and Discipline (ABCD), provided an overview of the ABCD and its recent activities, along with a precept-by-precept look at the Code of Professional Conduct.

Employer Outreach Reinforces Academy Resources, MAAA Value

The Academy reached out to some of the largest U.S. employers of Academy members this week, highlighting the value of the MAAA credential for both actuaries and actuarial employers, and pointing them to the wide range of resources and networking and leadership development opportunities offered by the Academy to support their actuarial work and employees. This includes hundreds of Academy publications, including on cutting-edge practice and regulatory, public policy, and professionalism issues; robust practice, qualification, and conduct standards; volunteer and leadership opportunities; continuing education and events; Speakers Bureau presenters for employers; a Career Center; and unique services such as the request for guidance process facilitated by the ABCD.

• Looking for a Speaker? The Academy’s Speakers Bureau provides qualified speakers on professionalism and public policy topics.

In the News

• Insurance News Net reported on the state of the long-term care insurance market, based on last week’s Academy webinar on the topic.

EDUCATION & EVENTS

Next Week—Retirement Webinar to Examine CDC Plans

A Feb. 26 retirement webinar will feature members of the Retirement Policy and Design Evaluation Committee, who will discuss collective defined contribution (CDC) plans, how policymakers may want to think about them as a future retirement tool, and the committee’s recent publication on the topic. Register today. 

EVENTS CALENDAR

• Feb. 26: Collective Defined Contribution (CDC) Plans: What Are They and Could They Work in the U.S.?
• Feb. 27: The Academy's New Membership Requirements: What You Need to Know
• March: Deep Dive on the Code (professionalism webinar)
• April 2–4: Academy Hill visits; Washington, D.C.
• May 22–23: Insuring the Future: Insurance Investment Summit; New York
• June 12: Future of Retirement Symposium; Washington, D.C.
• Sept. 8–10: Casualty Loss Reserve Seminar; Philadelphia
• September: Health Equity & Behavioral Health Symposium; Washington, D.C.
• Nov. 17–20: Life and Health Qualifications Seminar; Arlington, Va.
• Dec. 8–9: Seminar on Effective P/C Loss Reserve Opinions; Salt Lake City

Visit the Events Calendar for a complete listing of Academy events, including links to post-webinar slides and recordings via Academy Learning.

No Issue Next Week—HealthCheck, February Actuarial Update

This Week will not be published next week given the release of the February Actuarial Update, coming next Friday, Feb. 28. Look for expanded coverage of The Record, the Academy’s annual report. Also coming next week, the Winter HealthCheck, with more on the recently released issue brief on long-term care insurance.