Should my client take a lump sum now or a future pension later?

When members of defined benefit pension plans terminate their employment, they are offered the opportunity to take a lump sum settlement in place of the pension they have earned. Doug Chandler, a research actuary who has written extensively for the Society of Actuaries and the Canadian Institute of Actuaries, will review the changes to commuted values going into effect on December 1, 2020, particularly the dramatic reduction in commuted values for members of multi-employer pension plans. Doug will also explain why low interest rates make commuted values for other types of pension plans so big right now.

This will be an opportunity to discuss all of the issues around the choice for individual clients and how the choice is affected by recent events.

Since 2014, Doug Chandler has completed six research papers published by the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and the Society of Actuaries. His research deals with topical issues in the Canadian retirement systems and is designed to inform public policy development and public understanding. He previously worked for 25 years as a consultant on retirement plans and prior to that at a workers’ compensation board and a life insurance company. Doug is a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries. He has served as a volunteer on task forces of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries looking into the basis for calculating commuted values.