#DECPTS (OPEB mode)
Returns points (the member’s decrement age + service at decrement), unrounded (OPEB mode only), where:
Decrement age is age on the anniversary of the valuation date in the year of decrement and
Service at decrement is service as of the anniversary of the valuation date in the year of decrement.
If rounded results are desired, use with #ROUND, #INT, or #FLOOR.
For inactives, decrement age is based on the field value of the Date of decrement (or decrement age) parameter of the Inactive Data topic of Census Specifications and service at decrement is based on the (numeric) field value of the Service at decrement parameter of that topic.
For actives, service is considered to start at the date indicated by the field value of the Date of hire (or hire age) parameter of the Active Data topic of Census Specifications.
Age and service are measured on the anniversary of the valuation date in the year of decrement, regardless of the setting selected for decrement timing under the Decrements topic of Valuation Assumptions. For example, under a midyear decrement timing assumption, if the valuation date is 1/1/2012 and an active plan member is age 56 on the valuation date and age 57 one half year later, at 7/1/2012 (the decrement date in the 2012 calendar year), #DECPTS will use a value of 56, not 57, for the age in 2012. Similarly, if this active member has 20 years of service on the valuation date and 21 years of service one half year later, at 7/1/2012, #DECPTS will use a service value of 20, not 21, in 2012. Under midyear decrement timing, because ProVal calculates benefit amounts by averaging benefit payment values at the beginning and end of the year, the effect will be to use an age value of 56.5 (averaging 56 at 1/1/2012 and 57 at 1/1/2013) and a service value of 20.5 (averaging 20 at 1/1/2012 and 21 at 1/1/2013) to calculate benefit payment amounts for decrement year 2012.
Syntax:
#DECPTS
Examples:
1) DISBEN * (#DECPTS>=70)
For future disablements, at least 70 points are required to receive a disability benefit. Note that, because the value returned by #DECPTS is not rounded, a retiree who had 69.7 points at decrement does not get this disability benefit.
2) UPGRADE * (#ROUND #DECPTS>=80)
Upgraded formula applies only to those retirees with at least 80 points at date of decrement from active status, using a rounded sum of decrement age and decrement service.
These examples involve a change in benefit eligibility upon attainment of a certain number of points, which preferably should be coded by using the eligibility parameters of the Benefit Definition, not by using the formulas of the Gross Benefit Definition and Participant Contribution. If decrements are assumed to occur at midyear, unless the eligibility parameters are used, liability values will be distorted (because of averaging beginning and end of year benefit amounts and payment form values).
Related Operators: