using System;

using System.Globalization;

public class Program

{

    public static void Main()

    {

        string sEffective_Dt = "20100508";

        string Plan_Year_Start_Dt = "20110508";

        CultureInfo provider = System.Globalization.CultureInfo.InvariantCulture;

        DateTime effective_dt = DateTime.ParseExact(sEffective_Dt, "yyyyMMdd", provider);

        DateTime plan_start_dt = DateTime.ParseExact(Plan_Year_Start_Dt, "yyyyMMdd", provider);

​

        // <0 − If date1 is earlier than date2

        // 0 − If date1 is the same as date2

        // >0 − If date1 is later than date2

        int res = DateTime.Compare(effective_dt, plan_start_dt);

        if (res < 0) {

            //return Plan_Year_Start_Dt;

        }

        Console.WriteLine(res);

    }

    public string CheckEffectiveDate(string sPlanName, string sEffective_Dt, string Plan_Year_Start_Dt)

    {

        if (sPlanName.Equals("IND") ||sPlanName.Equals("INDSpouse ") )

        {

            CultureInfo provider = System.Globalization.CultureInfo.InvariantCulture;

            DateTime effective_dt = DateTime.ParseExact(sEffective_Dt, "yyyyMMdd", provider);

            DateTime plan_start_dt = DateTime.ParseExact(Plan_Year_Start_Dt, "yyyyMMdd", provider);

​

​

            int res = DateTime.Compare(effective_dt, plan_start_dt);

            if (res < 0) {

                return Plan_Year_Start_Dt;

            }

        }

​

        return sEffective_Dt;

    }

}