#DECSVC (OPEB mode)
Returns (the member’s) service at decrement, i.e., service as of the anniversary of the valuation date in the year of decrement, unrounded (OPEB mode only)
If rounded results are desired, use with #ROUND, #INT, or #FLOOR.
For inactives, service at decrement is based on the (numeric) field value of the Service at decrement parameter of the Inactive Data topic of Census Specifications.
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.
Service is 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 has 20 years of service on the valuation date and 21 years of service one half year later, at 7/1/2012 (the decrement date in the 2012 calendar year), #DECSVC will return a value of 20, not 21, for the service amount 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 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:
#DECSVC
Examples:
1) LIFEINS * (#ROUND #DECSVC)
For future retirees, life insurance formula is proportional to service at decrement, using rounded service.
2) LIFEINS * (#DECSVC>=20)
Life insurance formula applies only to retirees with at least 20 years of completed service at decrement from active status. Note that, because the value returned by #DECSVC is not rounded, a retiree who decremented with 19.9 years of service does not get this life insurance coverage.
The second example involves a change in benefit eligibility upon completion of a certain number of years of service, 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: