Compensation is a critical component of qualified retirement plan administration, affecting contributions, nondiscrimination testing, and numerous other plan calculations. This session will examine commonly used definitions of compensation, how plan-specific definitions and exclusions are applied, and the operational challenges that can arise when plan provisions and payroll practices do not align. Through practical examples, attendees will learn how to recognize compensation-related risks and strengthen processes for administering the plan in accordance with its terms.

Learning Objectives:

• Distinguish among common definitions of compensation used in qualified retirement plans and understand when those definitions may differ.
• Recognize how compensation definitions and exclusions can affect plan contributions, testing, and administration.
• Identify common compensation-related operational risks and practices that can help prevent plan errors.

Designed for experienced employee benefit plan professionals, this session takes a deeper dive into the accounting and auditing considerations for defined benefit plans. Topics include actuarial valuations and census data, benefit obligations, investment valuation, benefit payments, plan terminations, financial statement presentation and disclosures, and areas of heightened audit risk. The session will emphasize practical application and common issues encountered in defined benefit plan audits.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify and evaluate complex accounting and auditing considerations specific to defined benefit plans, including actuarial valuations, participant data, benefit obligations and payments, and plan investments.
• Apply appropriate audit procedures and financial reporting guidance to higher-risk areas of defined benefit plans, including actuarial information, fair value measurements, plan terminations, and financial statement presentation and disclosures.

Navigate the complexities of accounting for and auditing alternative investments held by employee benefit plans. This session will explore the types and characteristics of investments valued using net asset value (NAV), the relevant guidance under ASC 820, and the factors that may affect the use of NAV as a practical expedient. Through practical examples, participants will examine audit considerations, common challenges, and approaches to obtaining sufficient appropriate audit evidence. The session will also highlight key documentation and disclosure considerations to help auditors navigate these investments with confidence.

Now that the implementation date of the new Quality Management (QM) standards has come and gone, it’s time to focus on what is next for QM. During this session, presenters will provide an overview of what firms can expect in the first year after implementation. The session will discuss the changes to monitoring under QM from a firm perspective and the expectations from an outside perspective. Finally, presenters will unpack the finalized peer review QM checklists and what implications they have on a firm’s first peer review subject to the new QM standards.

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze a firm’s first year under the new quality management (QM) standards, including peer review implications.
• Analyze the recently updated peer review quality management checklists.
• Apply lessons learned and implementation tips on QM with a focus on monitoring.

Employee benefit plans increasingly outsource critical operational functions to payroll providers, recordkeepers, third‑party administrators (TPAs), COBRA administrators, and investment service providers. While outsourcing can improve efficiency, it does not eliminate fiduciary responsibility or audit risk—and, in many cases, introduces new complexities that auditors must evaluate carefully.



This session explores practical audit considerations when plan operations are outsourced, with a focus on understanding the outsourced operating model, evaluating plan sponsor oversight, and appropriately using SOC reports. Drawing on real‑world experience across a large volume of employee benefit plan audits, the session highlights common breakdowns in data integrity, control reliance, and documentation that frequently result in audit deficiencies and regulatory findings.



Participants will gain actionable guidance on identifying heightened risk areas, designing responsive audit procedures, and effectively communicating outsourced‑related risks to management and plan governance bodies.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify and assess key audit risks arising from outsourced employee benefit plan operations, including plan sponsor's oversight responsibilities and related audit implications.
• Evaluate and appropriately use SOC 1 reports, including assessing complementary user entity controls and their impact on the audit approach.
• Design and perform audit procedures that respond appropriately to risks associated with outsourced service-providers and their control environments.
• Recognize common red flags that may contribute to audit deficiencies or regulatory scrutiny and effectively communicate risks related to outsourced operations to management and plan committees.

The panel will discuss findings from internal inspections, peer reviews, DOL inspections, and other inspections across firms performing EBP audits. This busy season debrief will also cover challenges encountered during the season, offering lessons from others’ experiences.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify common EBP audit deficiencies highlighted in internal inspections, peer reviews, and DOL and PCAOB inspections.
• Determine appropriate audit responses to challenges involving service providers, plan operations, plan transactions, project management, and financial reporting.

The SECURE Act and SECURE 2.0 Act provided several provisions which have now become effective and are impacting the 2026 employee plan audits. Alison J. Cohen, Esq. from Ferenczy Benefits Law Center and Karlyn Ladas from BDO will cover the key provisions that are most likely to impact audit processes and outcomes with both a technical overview and audit best practices. Topics including long-term part-time employees, hardship self-certification, and Roth catch-up contributions.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Evaluate SECURE 2.0 interim amendments and plan elections to identify relevant provisions and their implications for audit planning and testing.
• 2. Identify audit risks associated with long-term, part-time employee eligibility and design procedures to assess historical service data and participant inclusion.
• 3. Assess hardship distribution self-certification practices to identify compliance risks and determine appropriate audit procedures and supporting evidence.
• 4. Identify key audit considerations for Roth catch-up contributions, including affected participants, participant notices, and correction procedures.