A review of self-insured medical benefits costs, what has been driving the costs up recently, and steps companies are taking to manage, contain, and reduce costs.

• Predict self-insured benefit plans costs based on plan characteristics.
• Evaluate benefit plan costs management processes.

This session will provide an overview of distributions and common errors in a defined contribution plan and will focus on the testing of distributions and plan expenses for the fundamentals track case study.

• Identify the various types of distributions (retirement, rollovers, hardships, loans, etc.), vesting and forfeitures, as well as the different forms of payment (lump sum, annuities).
• Recall the risk assessment of relevant assertions and the planned audit procedures of the case study.
• Select sampling and testing procedures for distributions (including vesting and forfeitures), participant loans, and hardships utilizing examples from the fundamental track case study.

Session covers the use of pension plans as a tool for mitigating the impact of section 162(m), section 4960, and allowing for access to the section 199A deduction for a specified service trade or business.

• Analyze the treatment of qualified plans as income for purposes of section 162(m), section 4960, and section 199A.
• Determine strategies for addressing the various issues that may arise.

Speed, agility and clarity. Characteristics a presenter must have in our lightening round! Our presenters will provide you with the insights you need on five important topics ranging from new guidance to common issue that plan auditors and tax professionals need to know. You will also discover how to access additional information that will guide you through stormy situations.

• Articulate common issues to employee benefit plan administrators.
• Provide solutions to clients facing an ever-changing regulatory world.

Session gives CPAs tools and topics to coach their EB Plan clients on plan governance: reach of fiduciary responsibility/oversight, understanding "bundled" arrangements, why the DOL demands an IPS (even if the law does not), choosing a 3(21) or a 3(38) to assist, issues even auditors sometimes miss.

• Formulate your firm's plan to be a value-add to an EBP client.
• Interpret comments from a recent client survey to customize your EBP practice.
• Predict issues auditors should find or consult on for their EBP clients.

With a particular focus on employee benefit plan audit considerations, this session will provide an overview of the AICPA Professional Code of Conduct and affiliate independence rules.

• Recall the AICPA Professional Code of Conduct.
• Distinguish between the difference in independence and conflicts of interest.
• Identify common threats to independence.
• Recognize the affiliate entity rules in a benefit plan environment and related resources.

Overview of the step by step process of building a niche practice or service line focused on employee benefit plan attestation services.

• Identify tools and resources to enhance specialized knowledge necessary for employee benefit plan audits.
• Recall successful marketing strategies to grow your practice and opportunities to implement efficiencies as you scale your practice.

Session will examine the importance of Sections 404(c) and 404(a)(5) and the application in qualified plans to help facilitate the auditor's procedures.

• Indicate when the application of Sections 404(c) and 404(a)(5) should apply to qualified plans.
• Recognize lack of non-compliance in qualified plans.

Have you wondered, as an employer, what your incoming staff is learning? Will those classes of recruits have knowledge on technology, critical thinking, and data analytics? Dr. Gus De Franco from Tulane will give you a taste of what he is currently teaching his accounting students, who will eventually be your next class of associates. Dr. De Franco will share how Tulane, and other universities he is aware of, stay on the cutting edge of what changes in the accounting profession in order to keep accountants and financial professionals relevant tomorrow.

• Identify changes in degree programs to adapt to changes in the accounting profession.
• Recall what accounting students are currently learning in accounting degree programs.

It's not uncommon for employee benefit plan auditors to find errors in the application of a plan’s definition of compensation. However, truly understanding a plan’s definition of compensation is not always straight forward. This session will explore different definitions of compensation that are commonly used by plans, as well as some of the nuances that can make understanding the definition of compensation more challenging.

• Recognize various definitions of compensation that are commonly used in plan documents.
• Identify common errors found when applying a plan's defintion of compensation to how compensation is calculated.