Actuaries Sally Calder and Colin Thores share their thoughts on the new edition of the Formulae and Tables book.
For over a century, the Formulae and Tables book has been a trusted companion for actuarial students and professionals, evolving with the profession itself. The last update in 2002 served generations of actuaries, but with the profession advancing rapidly, the time has come for a refreshed edition.
As part of this milestone, we are excited to announce that the new Formulae and Tables Book for the 2026 exams is coming soon, thoughtfully updated to align with modern actuarial practice.
This latest edition removes outdated material, introduces new content, and ensures it remains an essential resource for the next generation of actuaries.
Actuaries Sally Calder and Colin Thores, who have been closely involved in the update, share their thoughts:
We were both very much aware of the Formulae and Tables throughout our actuarial studies; we’re both of the ‘green tables’ vintage. However, neither of us knew much about the evolution of the Formulae and Tables when we started work on updating it,—previous versions said little about the history.
No matter what work we do, where we work, or when we qualify, the Formulae and Tables links the whole profession and represents a physical summary of the breadth of knowledge that all actuaries need to grasp.
For the last 150 years the Formulae and Tables has been updated approximately every 25 years; it’s particularly interesting to see how it has adapted and evolved to respond to changes in technology and practice.
An important part of our review was determining what needed to be added, removed or changed for the new edition. The actuarial profession itself has moved on since the last edition was issued in 2002. Actuarial Practice has also moved on, which has resulted in a number of amendments and removal of material that is no longer relevant; removing material that has served the profession well for years is not easy. A lasting memory of our review is one of the Chief Examiners expressing sadness this year at the removal of commutation functions, but some new material has been added which we hope our Chief Examiners will become equally fond of.
Each edition of the Formulae and Tables has had a specific colour, each colour defining the period in which actuarial exams are taken. This time we have chosen the colour red; a colour that’s bright and distinctive and is important in many cultures.
Looking back over the work done over the last 24 months or so, updating the Formula and Tables has been one of the most interesting projects we’ve undertaken at the IFoA.
The full list of updates, including key changes to tables, formulas, and structure, will be available soon. Stay tuned for the official book launch.
