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Who am I?

I'm an actuary specializing in pension consulting and valuations of contingent payments. I have over 35 years of actuarial experience (gained while working for insurance companies and pension consulting firms), and have valued thousands of different payment schemes (from straightforward accrued pensions to complicated generation skipping trust payments). For some specific background, check out my CV, or my more detailed Education & Experience.

Where am I?

I used to live in the great state of Maine, far enough from the madding crowd, but now I have taken advantage of an opportunity to join an investment management firm in Rochester, NY.

What can I do for you?

I used to provide expert witness services, especially for the analysis and valuation of payment streams which depend on an individual's survival (think: interest in a pension plan, including the ancillary benefits that many plans provide (e.g., pre-retirement qualified surviving spouse annuity, early retirement subsidies, etc.) that may be ignored by other valuations).

I am no longer able to provide those services but am leaving this website available to those who might benefit from some of the comments posted here. Please refer to my Pension Benefit Valuations for more information.

If you need just a simple valuation, I might be able to help on an emergency basis, but you will have to do most of the work. Check out my Application for Simplified Valuation. A complete valuation would need a copy of the Plan (or at least the SPD) as well as a Plan Administrator's statement of accrued benefits and a thorough professional analysis, but if you just want a general idea of what a pension might be worth, I am trying to keep a current table of representative rates available here.

I also used to help through the complicated procedures of qualifying domestic relations orders (QDRO's). Having designed and administered many of the plan provisions that can be difficult to understand, I brought a unique perspective to settlement negotiations and the available alternatives. In the context of "You be the Advocate, I'll be the Expert," I could help you understand the ramifications of the alternative settlement options, and advise you on the benefits and hazards of inclusions and exclusions (I have left my FAQ for some hazards, pitfalls, and comments).

How can you reach me?

E-mail is the best way now, although I cannot guarantee a quick responsee-mail:
actuary@galactser.com

In an emergency, you might be able to reach me on my mobile number: (207) 650-6405

If you'd rather use snail mail, just send it to:
Michael E. Gallagher, A.S.A., M.A.A.A.
Gallagher Actuarial Services
P.O. Box 406
Pittsford, NY 14534
and I'll try to keep this box open for a while.

Of course, you can always come back to this webpage:
World Wide Web URL:
http://www.galactser.com/

| Curriculum Vitae | Experience | Pensions | Valuation Form | Links | FAQ | Rate Table | "The Box" |