The plan attributes topic of Plan Definitions contains a variety of general plan parameters.

Plan Year begins is a multi-choice field that allows you to select the first month of the plan year.  ProAdmin automatically does a full calculation of benefits at each plan year end.  In addition, certain regulations-based calculations such as maximum salary limits and dynamic mortality determination are dependent on the current plan year. 

The Misc. Parameters… button allows you to set plan specific information regarding benefit payment frequency, annuity payment timing, the day that starts the beginning of the middle of the month, and how to handle 0 or not applicable benefits. See Miscellaneous Parameters for a description of each parameter.
  
Plan’s actuarial equivalence selects the standard actuarial conversion basis for optional forms of payment. This selection is used when Plan’s actuarial equivalence is selected for a Payment Form's Conversion from Normal Form. The multi-choice field displays all entries currently set up in the Actuarial Equivalence library as well as <by Benefit Definition> and<by Coded Database Field>. If the actuarial equivalence definition that you need is not displayed, or you need to modify an existing entry, click the button to access the Actuarial Equivalence library.

If you choose either <by Benefit Definition> or <by Coded Database Field>, the Params... button on the right of the screen will activate. If you chose <by Benefit Definition>, the Params... button will bring up a dialog that lists each Benefit Definition currently in the plan with a multi-choice field for each that allows you to chose the Plan Actuarial Equivalence for that benefit.  This option is useful, for example, if the plan includes grandfathered benefits with a distinct actuarial equivalence basis. If you chose <by Coded Database Field>, the Params... button will request the Coded database field by which actuarial equivalence will be determined.  Once the field has been selected, the spreadsheet below it will list each Database Code in the field with a multi-choice field for each that allows you to chose the Plan Actuarial Equivalence for that code.  This option is useful, for example, when the plan consists of several locations and actuarial equivalence varies by location.

Default Age Definition (for payment forms & components) selects the standard Age Definition which defines the age used for objects which have Age & Interpolation or Age / Interpolation parameters.  This includes defining the age used for calculating payment form conversion factors, relative value factors, late retirement components, annuity factor components and table components.  Note that this does not apply to ages for Eligibility Definitions or for accrual definition components.

Normal Retirement Date (NRD) selects an Eligibility Definition that will be used to calculate the member’s Normal Retirement Date. This information may be used for deferring payment to NRD, making a temporary payment to NRD, accruing interest to NRD and reducing benefits for commencement prior to NRD. The Using Service Definition Set multi-choice field allows you to select the entry from the Service Definition Set Library that will be used to calculate the service component of the Normal Retirement Date eligibility definition. The edit button is used to open up the Eligibility Definition Library and edit an existing entry or add a new entry. This information may be used for deferring payment to NRD, making a temporary payment to NRD, accruing interest to NRD and reducing benefits for commencement prior to NRD.

Restrict non-spouse J&S benefits per minimum distribution rules checkbox, when checked indicates that non-spouse beneficiaries will not be eligible for joint and survivor payment forms where the beneficiary benefit percentage exceeds the applicable percentage, based on the adjusted employee/beneficiary age difference, as specified in U.S. Federal Tax Regulation 1.401(a)(9)-6.

The Final Average Salary Calculation methodology controls all #FAS final average salary calculations. It indicates whether the salary in the measurement period of decrement should be included (averaging period ends with current salary) or excluded (averaging period excludes current salary). Note that Salary Definitions can be parameterized to effectively override these choices when necessary. In making the choice, consider, however, what data is contained in the current salary field. See Salary Definitions for details. ProAdmin also allows a third choice, the trapezoidal rule, which includes in the average salary calculation half of the current salary and, to balance things out, half of the salary at the beginning of the averaging period.

Maximum Compensation Law Year determines the 401(a)(17) maximum limit that applies to a measurement period’s salaries. The choice is only relevant if the plan year begins in a month other than January. The limit may be based on either the calendar year or the plan year in which the salary is earned. When plan year is chosen, the limit is the limit for the calendar year that ends in the plan year.

Social Security Law Year determines the appropriate historical regulatory data for wage base (#SSWB), covered compensation (#CVCP), PIA (#PIA), and YMPE determinations. The choice is only relevant if the plan year begins in a month other than January. The appropriate historical regulatory data may be based on either the calendar year or the plan year of decrement. When plan year is chosen, the limit is the limit for the calendar year that ends in the plan year.

Covered compensation and average wage base rounding presents four choices for rounding the US regulatory items social security covered compensation and average taxable wage base: no rounding, $12 rule, $600 rule or $3,000 rule. The result of a covered compensation or wage base computation by a ProAdmin operator (e.g., #CVCP, #SSWB or #AVGWB, to return an individual’s covered compensation, wage base, or average wage base, respectively) would be rounded according to the chosen rule and then used in building the benefit formula.

Break-in-Service Definition allows you to select a Break-in-Service rule that will be used as the default rule in Service Definitions Sets.