Since 2010, I have argued on this website that the principles and processes actuaries use to assess the financial condition of institutions can also help retired and near-retired households make better planning decisions. However, as discussed in our post of March 5, 2023, the actuarial profession has been reluctant to advance actuarial solutions to the decumulation problem.
I was therefore pleased to read Mark Shemtob's article, "The Roth Question," in the September/October 2026 issue of Contingencies Magazine. Shemtob's emphasis on building models that incorporate relevant assumptions illustrates the kind of disciplined framework that can improve household financial decisions. As he notes, "this work is clearly in the 'wheelhouse' of actuaries” and reflects the valuable “experience actuaries can bring to individual retirement planning."
