Certain topics in Valuation Assumptions and Projection Assumptions that require assumptions to be specified by Benefit Definition (or by some other plan-related item, such as a pension mode Inactive Benefit or a lump sum factor Benefit Formula Component) have a filter available to allow the user to reduce the choice list to those benefits associated with a particular Plan Definition (in the German pension mode, a particular Benefit Promise) or, for an Inactive Benefit, with a particular Census Specifications set.

In the pension modes, filters are available for these topics (annotated to indicate which mode, or modes, the topic applies to):

• COLA Overrides for Active Benefits (except U.K. mode), Active/TV Benefits in German mode

• COLA Overrides for Inactive Benefits (except U.K. mode),

• COLA Overrides for Lump Sum Components (except U.K. mode)

• Solvency COLA Overrides for Active Benefits, Inactive Benefits and Lump Sum Components (Canadian registered mode)

• Pension Increases for Active Benefits (U.K. mode)

• Increase & Crediting Rates for Benefit Formula Components, Accrual Basis Components and Employee Contributions, and Valuation Assumption Sensitivities for these increase and crediting rates

• Post-Decrement Probabilities

• Lump Sum & Optional Payment Forms, and Valuation Assumption Sensitivities for these lump sum and optional forms

• Term Cost Liability Method (except U.K. mode)

• Plan Amendments (except German mode)

In OPEB mode, a filter is available for the Increase Rates topic (for Benefit Formula Components, Accrual Basis Components, Lifetime and Annual Limits), the Valuation Assumptions Sensitivities topic for these components and limits, and for the Post-Decrement Probabilities topic.

Under these topics, you may display items relevant to all unhidden Plan Definitions (all unhidden Benefit Promises in German mode), filter on a specific Plan Definition (or Benefit Promise in German mode) or apply no filter. If a specific Plan Definition (or Benefit Promise) is selected as the filter, ProVal will display only those items referenced by the selected Plan Definition (or Benefit Promise); if all unhidden Plan Definitions (or Benefit Promises) constitute the filter, ProVal will display only those items referenced by a Plan Definition (or Benefit Promise) unhidden in the current Project.

In all modes except German, ProVal will attempt to anticipate what filter you are likely to want. For example, entering a Valuation (even if no changes to its parameter settings are saved) will point a filter accessed subsequently (anywhere) within the current computational mode to the Plan Definition referenced by this Valuation -- until such time as you enter another library entry that directly references a Plan Definition (e.g., a Valuation, a Core Projection, an Experience Study, a Screen Data library entry). At such time, the current filter will be “reset” to the Plan Definition referenced by that library entry. The current filter also might be reset if you switch to another mode (for example, from U.S. qualified to universal).

In German mode, because the filters are based on Benefit Promises and not Plan Definitions, ProVal can’t anticipate a future filter selection when a Valuation or Core Projection, etc., is entered, as those items point to Plan Definitions (which usually contain more than one Benefit Promise). Therefore the current filter remains unchanged until a Benefit Promise is edited and saved.

In all modes, the filter choice has no impact on (and is not stored within) any library entries; as such, it is not affected (removed or retained) by a click on a “Cancel”, “Replace” or “Save as New” button. Nor is the current filter setting displayed when library entries are viewed or compared.

The following example illustrates the rules that apply to filters on COLA overrides of active Benefit Definitions. (This example is in a pension mode other than German, so the filter selection involves Plan Definitions, rather than Benefit Promises.) Similar rules apply (again, in modes other than German) for filters on other topics.

• The Plan Filter dropdown list displays the unhidden Plan Definitions in the current Project. It may also display a hidden Plan Definition if that Plan Definition is the anticipated choice.

• Selecting a specific Plan Definition as the Plan Filter tells ProVal to display all Benefit Definitions for which valuation assumption COLAs apply and that are referenced by the selected Plan Definition. Note that this may include hidden Benefit Definitions (not in the current Project).

• Selecting “<All unhidden Plan Definitions>” suppresses from the list any Benefit Definition that is either not referenced by a Plan Definition or is referenced by only hidden Plan Definitions. (As always, Benefit Definitions for which valuation assumption COLAs do not apply will not appear.) Both hidden and unhidden Benefit Definitions will be displayed.

• Selecting “<No filter>” tells ProVal to display all unhidden Benefit Definitions to which valuation assumption COLAs apply, as well as hidden Benefit Definitions for which there is already a COLA override specified.