The accrued benefit in which the plan participant is vested based on the individual’s years of vesting service with the company. Normally, a plan participant becomes fully vested in pension benefits after five years of service. However, some pension plans use a graded vesting schedule in which a participant’s vesting percentage increases each year until it reaches 100 percent. Under current law, a plan participant must be fully vested in the accrued benefit after no later than seven years of vesting service. The participant’s vested accrued benefit refers to the portion of benefits the participant has a non-forfeitable right to receive under the plan.