Preference Name = ACASGDEPCE
Full Name - Ignore Accompanying Assignment Dependents in Cost Estimates
This preference allows users to pull the Dependents value from the number of dependent records on the assignment (Home) or the number of Accompanying On Assignment dependent records on the assignment (Host). If no dependents are defined, it goes through the existing method of calculating dependents
When calculating the number of dependents for Cost Estimates and Compensation Calculations, if this is set to No, the system will input the total number of accompanying assignment dependents.
Calculation Methodology
Both Family size and Marital Status (Calculation Inputs tab) are both considered as part of the defaulting for the Filing Status and Dependents tax inputs
This would behave as follows;
With a home Family Size of 2 and a Marital Status of married, this would return a Filing Status of married and 0 dependents
With a home Family Size of 2 and a marital status of single or any other status, this returns a Filing Status of Single and 1 dependent
In order to consider why a Compensation Calculation and a Cost Estimate may have differing values for Dependents (most notably Home), we have to consider the underlying defaulting of Family Size and Marital Status
Compensation Calculation Defaulting
Both Home and Host Family size are determined by the latest Home/Host Family Size record on the Compensation screen, with an Effective Date prior or equal to the Effective Date of the Compensation Calculation.
There is no defaulting beyond this, it would return a null value if this is not set.
Cost Estimate Defaulting
Cost Estimate uses a somewhat similar starting point; starting with the Home/Host Family Size record on the Compensation Screen with the most recent Effective Date.
If this is not set, it then uses the higher of;
The Home (or Host) family size within the Authorisation, and;
A Computed Family Size, based on a priority order (+1 for single, +2 for married);
The Total Children on the Authorisation, or if not set;
The count of the assignment dependent records, or if not set;
The count of the authorisation stage assignment dependent records
Overrides Inputted
There are various overrides within the system, and could have set these either within just a cost estimate or compensation calculation. Note, that when a tax filing status is altered, this impacts the number of dependents.