The following is a list of all of the screens that are available when editing a Plan Document in DB Precision:
Plan Notes are used to document unique features about a plan, as well as record background information for reference in the future.
- Notes Definition: place to record a note that relates to a Plan Document and set it up to display upon certain events.
A Benefit Payment Set is the item that ties all the basic benefit components together into a set of payments. It is where accrued benefit, normal/early/late retirement, vesting and optional forms of benefit are defined and linked together.
- Benefit Payment Set Definition: used to define general features of the Benefit Payment Set, such as the frequency of benefit payments and the 415(b) maximum benefit limitation. It is here that you can also direct the system to check for decreases in the accrued benefit over a Person's employment period.
- Benefit Payment Set Provision: this is the main benefit screen used to define the current provision's accrued benefit payable at Normal Retirement Date (NRD), as well as NRD itself. In addition, the relative value comparisons are defined here.
- Top Heavy: for detailing any applicable top heavy provisions.
- Vesting/Pre-Retirement Death: used to specify vesting parameters for a Benefit Payment Set Provision, as well as define the reduction for pre-retirement death benefit coverage (if any).
- Early Retirement: used to define early retirement benefits for the current provision. This includes early retirement eligibilities and benefit amounts.
- Late Retirement: allows users to specify how to handle participants that elect to retire after their Normal Retirement Date.
- Optional Benefits: screen showing all of the different features and parameters for each of the Benefit Payment Set's optional forms of benefit.
- Employee Contributions: for plans that are contributory, this screen allows users to specify how employee-paid benefits are determined.
Formula Derived Items provide the ability to define an item using a formula that can then be referenced elsewhere in the Plan Document coding. The formulas use operators to combine other plan items and/or reference stored data. They are commonly used throughout the coding for a plan.
- Formula Derived Item: for defining the formula for a specific Formula Derived Item, as well as indicating if you wish to include this item in the valuation extract file.
Service Definitions are the set of rules that describe a Plan Document's participation, credited, vesting, or other type of service.
- Service Definition: used to define the basic parameters for a specific definition of service, including earliest eligibility and latest accrual/plan freeze dates. It is on this screen where you also indicate if this service is considered the Plan's Credited, Vesting, or Participation Service.
- Service Provision: space to provide the accrual and calculation rules for a provision period of a Service Definition.
Functions of Service are mainly used to create a series of benefit accrual rates that vary with service. These accrual rates can be defined as both a function of the number of years worked as well as when those years are worked.
- Function of Service Definition: provides space to enter a brief description for a Function of Service Definition. It also allows you to choose the specific service definition to be used in the function, as well as the preferences for service when capped at a maximum amount.
- Function of Service Provision: used to define the accrual rates that apply to the different ranges of service.
- Average Earnings Definition: allows users to enter a brief description for the Average Earnings Definition and also to designate which earnings are to be included on the valuation extract/snapshot.
- Average Earnings Provision: screen that is used for defining basic averaging rules for the Average Earnings Definition.
Covered Compensation Definitions are used in formulas that integrate with Covered Compensation.
Social Security PIA Definitions serve two purposes. One purpose is to define the Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) for plans that integrate with Social Security. The second more common use is to estimate Social Security for display on participant benefit statements.
- PIA Definition: provides the space to enter a brief description of this Social Security PIA Definition.
- PIA Provision: details the actual specifics of how to calculate Social Security PIA, including past and future earnings assumptions, payment start date, and whether amounts returned should be reduced (increased) for early (late) commencement.
Account Definitions are used to define accounts that accumulate with interest over time. They are what you use to code cash balance provisions, employee contributions, career average benefits, and defined contribution accounts.
- Account Definition: provides the space to enter a brief description of the Account Definition, as well as indicate if you wish to include this item in the valuation extract file.
- Account Provision: for defining the specifics of the Account Definition, including the type of account and method for accumulating interest. On this screen, you also identify the amounts deposited into the account.
Actuarial Equivalence Definitions specify the mortality and interest rate parameters for actuarial equivalence that are used to calculate items like annuity factors and optional form conversion factors.
Conversion Factors define the rules used to convert one form of benefit to another. Such factors are are generally used as part of a Benefit Payments Set to convert a benefit expressed in the normal form of payment to an optional form.
- Conversion Factor Definition: used to define a factor to convert one series of benefit payments to another. The parameters for determining the form of annuity both before and after conversion as well as the definition of actuarial equivalence are set here.
Annuity Factors define the rules used to determine a set of annuity factors. Such factors are generally used within a Benefit Payment Set to determine a lump sum payment option.
- Annuity Factor Definition: used to specify the parameters for determining a set of annuity factors, including the definition of actuarial equivalence, form of annuity, and payment start/end date.
Derived Dates are dates that are determined from Person data based on a set of age, service, and/or points conditions. Examples include normal retirement date, earliest retirement date, and date first vested.
- Derived Date Definition: provides the space to enter a brief description of the Derived Date.
- Derived Date Provision: used to define the specific parameters of a Derived Date, including the minimum and maximum age, service, and points requirements, as well as rounding rules.
Plan Sheets provide a convenient way to set up a table for use in a lookup, rather than use a Formula Derived Item or Actuarial Equivalence Definition.
- Plan Sheets: used to define the format of a Plan Sheet and enter its table of values.
Export Definitions are used to specify a customized set of data fields and/or system calculated items that can then be extracted from the system via an export. Exports are commonly used to create documents such as benefit statements and election forms packages outside the system.
- Export Definition: for specifying general information about the export file, including the type of file it is, where it should be stored, and how the data items are sorted. Internet settings, calculation messages and whether a Word Merge should be run as part of the export are also controlled here.
- Export Provision (row): details the actual layout for a row of data within the export file. This is also know as the Export Provision Screen.
- Plan Export Wizard: helps speed up the process of creating an Export Row/Provision by allowing for quicker selection of fields.
Person Validation Definitions are used to create a customized list of data validations to run for a Plan, instead of running the entire standardized list.
- Validation Definition: provides the space to enter a brief description of the validation list, as well as customize the group for whom these validations are run.
- Standard Errors: used to select the validations to include in this validation set from the system's list of predefined errors. This is entitled the Plan Validation Definition - Standard Errors Screen.
- Custom Errors: used to create custom error checks that are not included in the standard validation list. This is entitled the Validation Definition - User Defined Items Screen.
- Comparisons to Prior Data: used to select the specific fields you would like the system to compare between the the two snapshot dates when running this validation set. This is entitled the Plan Validation Definition - Comparisons Screen.
- Plan Change Log: view information on data and setup changes made to the Plan Document.
A Reported Amount is a unique data item created for this Plan which is loaded into the system either from time to time or at regular intervals. Examples include earnings, hours worked, and frozen accrued benefits. Standard data items such as name, sex, address, and retiree benefit information, as well as Historical Dates like date of hire and date of termination are not Reported Amounts.