Benefit Component Tables contain values that depend on age, service, sex, or some combination of these elements. ProVal looks up table values based on the member’s age and service as of the decrement date, measured from the values defined by the date of birth (or attained age) and date of hire (or hire age) parameters, respectively, of your Census Specifications. (Note, however, that in OPEB mode if the Benefit Definition’s payment form is to the spouse, rather than to the member, then ProVal looks up table values based on the spouse’s age.) The date of birth or age parameter applies to both active and inactive members. The date of hire or hire age parameter applies only to active members. Furthermore, an active member’s service is computed as the difference between attained age at decrement and hire age. Age and service for table lookups are always computed as whole (not fractional) numbers. For details, see the Active Data topic and, for OPEB mode, the Inactive Data - OPEB mode topic of Census Specifications.

The values are entered into a ProVal spreadsheet whose interface permits values to vary by age, service, age and service (i.e., the table is select and ultimate), and sex. See Table Interface for details about constructing tables and entering their values. If your benefit component table is to contain present values of an annuity at various ages, ProVal can calculate annuity values and fill the table with them.

Once the benefit component table has been created, you may establish a benefit formula component, an accrual basis component, or, in OPEB mode, a full eligibility definition that refers to it, depending on whether the benefit component table will be used for a Benefit formula (Gross Benefit Definition or Participant Contribution in OPEB mode) expression box, for the Accrual Basis (Basis Formula) of an accrual definition type of Benefit Formula Component or for a full eligibility definition, respectively.