D. "Cost rate" means the percentage obtained by dividing net benefits paid for a calendar year by the total wages for the same period.

E. "Net balance available for benefit payments" means the sum of the balance in the trust fund, the benefit fund, and the clearing account after adjustment for outstanding checks, and adjustment for funds in transit between either of said the funds or said the account.

F. "Rate year" shall be means the 12-month period commencing January 1st of each year.

G. "Reserve multiple" is means a measure of the fund reserve which that expresses the current fund reserve ratio as a multiple of the composite cost rate. The reserve multiple shall must be rounded to 2 decimal places. For rate years that begin on and after January 1, 2000, the "reserve multiple" is a measure of the fund reserve that expresses the current fund reserve ratio as a multiple of the average benefit cost rate.

H. "Total wages" means the aggregate total wages paid in Maine for a calendar year in covered employment by contributing employers, as reported on employer contribution reports.

I. "Composite Cost Rate cost rate" means the arithmetic average of the annual cost rates for the last 15 completed calendar years multiplied by a factor of 1.95; either.__ Either the resulting composite rate shall apply applies for the reserve multiple calculation or the rate of 2.20, whichever is greater;, but in no case will may a composite cost rate higher than 2.83 apply.

J.__"Average benefit cost rate" means the percentage obtained by averaging the 3 highest cost rates for the last 20 completed calendar years preceding the computation date.__ The rate is rounded down to the nearest 0.1%.

K.__"Planned yield" means the percentage of total wages determined by the reserve multiple for the rate year in accordance with the table in subsection 4-A, paragraph B, subparagraph (3).

L.__"Ratio of total wages to taxable wages" means the factor obtained by dividing total wages for the preceding calendar