QUESTION: Which database fields define the age and sex of surviving beneficiaries?

ANSWER: It depends on how you have specified the payment form for your inactive benefit. You have two basic choices:

• If survivors’ data is found in the fields that you have cited as member’s date of birth (or attained age) and member’s sex, code the payment form for survivors as a life annuity. Be sure that the benefit amount has already been reduced appropriately for the continuing percentage (for example, by 50% for a 50% joint and survivor annuity). Note that the ages referred to for certain or temporary benefits will be the survivor ages.

• If survivors’ data is found in the fields that you have cited as beneficiary’s date of birth (or attained age) and beneficiary’s sex, code the payment form for survivors as a joint life annuity. If the benefit has already been reduced, enter a 1 as the fraction of benefit while both member and beneficiary are alive, 0 while only the member is alive, and 1 while only the beneficiary is alive. The 1’s can be adjusted if the benefit has not yet been reduced. The ages referred to for certain or temporary benefits will be the decedent’s ages.