Auditing Financial Statements of ERISA Plans

Conduct a compliant audit

• Identify proper audit procedures to test the line items of the statement of net assets available for benefits, including investments.
• Identify proper audit procedures to test the activity in the statement of changes in net assets available for benefits, including participant testing.

Plan investments

• Differentiate plan investment procedures based upon the type of audit and risk assessment.
• Identify types and classification of common plan investments.
• Identify audit procedures required for investment activity, contributions and benefit payment or withdrawals at the participant level.

GAAP presentation and disclosure

• Understand GAAP requirements for presentation and disclosure for employee benefit plan financial statements.

Other audit considerations

• Recognize procedures needed to determine the plan’s tax status
• Learn how to identify related parties, parties in interest, and prohibited transactions.
• Recognize additional audit procedures needed for Form 11-K filers.

This course provides CPE credit in the Accounting (.50) and Auditing (5.50) fields of study.

Who Will Benefit

Auditors of employee benefit plans, practitioners considering the addition of EBP audits as a service offering, and accountants in business and industry responsible for company benefits.

Key Topics

• Auditing the statement of net assets available for benefits
• Types and classification of common plan investments
• Plan investment audit procedures based upon type of audit and risk assessment
• Auditing the statement of changes in net assets available for benefits
• Audit procedures at the participant level required for investment gains (losses), contributions, and benefit payments or withdrawals
• Presentation and disclosure requirements in accordance with GAAP
• Audit considerations related to related parties, parties in interest and prohibited transactions, a plan’s tax status and Form 5500, and Form 11-K filers, and related changes introduced by SAS No.136

Learning Outcomes

• Identify auditing procedures for the statement of net assets available for benefits and the statement of changes in net assets available for benefits.
• Recognize the types and classification of common plan investments.
• Distinguish plan investment audit procedures based upon type of audit and risk assessment.
• Identify audit procedures at the participant level required for investment gains (losses), contributions, and benefit payments or withdrawals.
• Recognize the presentation and disclosure requirements in accordance with GAAP.
• Identify audit considerations for related parties, parties in interest, and prohibited transactions; a plan’s tax status and Form 5500; Form 11-K filers; and related changes introduced by SAS No.136.