Form 5500 and EFAST2 - Are you Ready for E-Filing and Expanded Fee Disclosure?

It's been a long time coming, but the Department of Labor's mandatory electronic filing system for Form 5500s (known as EFAST2) is finally here!

Effective January 1, 2010, all Form 5500s must be filed electronically through the new system----and it starts with reporting for the 2009 plan year. If you're wondering about the nuances of the new system and your options for complying with the e-filing mandate, this 90-minute interactive audio conference will provide you with a detailed look at what you need to know. You'll get expert insights on EFAST2 and full explanations of all the changes to the form and schedules for 2009, including a practical discussion of how to deal with significantly expanded fee reporting on Schedule C.

Form 5500 hasn't changed this much in 10 years, and you'll be much better able to cope with the revisions after attending this informative session.

Learning Points and Questions To Be Answered:

• Learn about the types of registration credentials available to those who work with 5500s under EFAST2
• Get a better handle for the mechanics of submitting 5500s under the new system, including filing on the web using the DOL's I-FILE system
• Discover how you may need to revamp your workflow and processes to accommodate electronic filing
• Get practical help completing the 2009 Schedule C, including an overview of how the schedule would be completed based on common plan scenarios

Attendees Who Will Benefit From This Audio Conference Include:

• Anyone who prepares or works with Form 5500, including:
• Retirement plan administrators/recordkeepers, actuaries and other TPAs
• Employee benefit plan auditors
• CPAs who work with and advise their clients on benefit plan filings
• HR personnel who work with benefit plan filings
• Employee benefits professionals/consultants
• Employee benefits tax specialists

Erik Pienkos is a senior manager in the Chicago office of Grant Thornton LLP’s Compensation and Benefits Consulting practice.In this function, Erik heads up the firm’s employee benefits compliance practice for the Midwest region, and provides technical support concerning qualified plan matters to clients and other firm professionals throughout the U.S.  For nearly 15 years, Erik has worked with hundreds of clients to design effective benefit plans and to ensure that the plans, once implemented, remain in compliance with all applicable legal requirements.  He has extensive experience dealing with reporting and disclosure issues related to benefit plans, and works closely with the firm’s Employee Benefit Plan Audit practice to identify and correct plan operational defects.

Erik is a member of the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA), the International Foundation for Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Illinois CPA Society. He is a licensed public accountant in Illinois, and Chairman of the Illinois CPA Society’s Tax/ERISA Special Interest Group and Employee Benefits Conferences, and has received professional designations from both ASPPA and IFEBP. Mr. Pienkos has extensive experience speaking and presenting on Form 5500 issues.