ComplianceJanuary 28, 2010

DoL Releases Form 5500 Info on Benefit Plans

The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration has released to the public online datasets of Form 5500 annual report/returns for approximately 800,000 retirement, health, and other employee benefit plans.

Reported by Rebecca Moore

The datasets include the raw data from all of the filings for plan years 1999 through 2008, including the data in the various schedules, according to a news release. The announcement said the datasets represent filings that are frequently requested under the Freedom of Information Act.

The filings have been useful in understanding the plan universe for policy, enforcement, research, outreach, and education for both the public and private sectors. The Form 5500 annual report/returns are a primary source of information about the operations, funding, and investments of employee benefit plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

The online datasets of plan filings are available here.

Questions about the Form 5500 filings should be addressed to the EFAST Help Desk at 866- 463-3278. For problems accessing the files, e-mail webmaster.ebsa@dol.gov, or call the Public Disclosure Room for questions about the datasets at 202-693-8673.