Jim Van Iwaarden is a consulting actuary known for innovative retirement plan design. He is a frequent speaker on retirement issues, and has over 25 years experience in employee benefits with:

• Van Iwaarden Associates - Minneapolis, Minnesota                           Since 1991
• Towers Perrin (TPF&C) - Minneapolis, Minnesota                              1989-1991
• Alexander & Alexander (now Aon) - Minneapolis, Minnesota              1985-1988
• The Wyatt Company (now Watson Wyatt) - Washington, D.C.          1979-1984

 

His recent background includes these achievements:

• Led legal and benefits seminars; recent topics include "Revenge of the Nerds: the Repeal of the Section 415(e) Combined DB/DC Plan Limits", "Hatching EGTRRA: Retirement Plan Changes in the New Tax Law", "Contemporary Qualified Plan Design" and "Retiree Welfare Benefits". Taught a course on qualified retirement plans for the American Society of Pension Actuaries.
• Redesigned the retirement plans for six large Twin Cities law firms - to alleviate the effect of the pay limit for qualified retirement plans.
• Turned a terminating pension plan's potential asset shortfall into a surplus through asset/liability matching.
• Redesigned the retiree medical plan for a prominent Midwestern college; produced enough savings to provide new medical benefits for early retirees.
• Designed and implemented a cash balance pension plan for a major U.S. corporation.
• Supervised nondiscrimination testing and the construction of a sophisticated PC-based benefit calculation system.
• Managed A&A's Minneapolis pension consulting practice.
• Guided many employers through tax reform compliance.

 

Jim's credentials include:

• Fellow, Society of Actuaries
• Former Chair, Minneapolis Pension Council
• Enrolled Actuary under ERISA
• Fellow, Conference of Consulting Actuaries
• Member, American Academy of Actuaries
• B.S. Mathematics, with highest honors - University of California