The ERISA consultants at the Retirement Learning Center Resource regularly receive calls from financial advisors on a broad array of technical topics related to IRAs, qualified retirement plans and other types of retirement savings plans. We bring Case of the Week to you to highlight the most relevant topics affecting your business.
A recent call with a financial advisor from Colorado is representative of a common inquiry related to the report performed by an independent qualified public accountant (the auditor)[1] that accompanies certain Form 5500 filings. The advisor asked:
“What does it mean when the auditor’s report for a plan’s Form 5500 filing says the auditor ‘does not express an opinion?’ I thought that was the whole purpose of the auditor’s report.”
Highlights of the Discussion
Most likely, the plan in question was subject to a “limited-scope” audit rather than a “full-scope” audit of the plan’s financial information. Under a limited scope audit, the auditor can only render a “Disclaimer of Opinion,” because he or she was not able to obtain sufficient audit evidence to provide a basis for an audit opinion.
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Limited Scope Audit vs. Full Scope Audit |
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Limited Scope |
Full Scope |
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The auditor does not audit the certified investment Information for the plan. He or she still tests participant data, including the allocation of investment income to individual participant accounts, and tests contributions, benefit payments and other information that was not certified. |
The auditor reviews the entity’s financial statements, including all assets; liabilities and obligations; and financial activities, without any limitation. |
Under ERISA Section 103(a)(3)(C) and DOL Reg. 2520.103–8, plan sponsors may instruct the auditor not to perform any auditing procedures with respect to investment information prepared and certified by “qualified institutions.” A qualified institution could be a bank, trust company or similar institution, or an insurance company that is regulated, supervised, and subject to periodic examination by a state or federal agency that acts as trustee or custodian for the investments. This option is referred to as a “limited scope audit,” and is available only if the certification by the qualified institution includes a statement that the information is complete and accurate. Limited-scope audits are typically less expensive that full scope audits.
It is the responsibility of the plan sponsor to determine whether the conditions for limiting the scope of an auditor’s examination have been satisfied, and only the plan sponsor can request the auditor to limit the scope of the audit. The American Society of Certified Public Accounts has put together a “Limited Scope Audits Resource Center” to help plan sponsors satisfy their fiduciary responsibility in this area.
As an interesting aside, the DOL attributes the overall increase in noncompliant plan audits with the corresponding increase in the number of limited-scope audits performed.[2] According to “Assessing the Quality of Employee Benefit Plan Audits,” a DOL report on the plans studied, 81% had limited scope audits; and of those limited-scope audits, 60% contained major deficiencies.
In fact, as a result of the study, the DOL recommended that Congress amend ERISA to repeal the limited-scope audit exemption. To date there have been no law changes, but in 2019, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ (AICPA) Auditing Standards Board issued two new auditing standards related to the financial statements of employment benefit plans and transparency in annual reports:
- Statement on Auditing Standards(SAS) No. 136, Forming an Opinion and Reporting on Financial Statements of Employee Benefit Plans Subject to ERISA; and
- Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) No. 137, The Auditor’s Responsibilities Relating to Other Information Included in Annual Reports.
SAS 136 creates a new section in the AICPA Professional Standards and deals with the auditor’s responsibility to form an opinion and report on the audit of financial statements of ERISA employee benefit plans. SAS 136 take effect for audits of ERISA plan financial statements for periods ending on or after Dec. 15, 2020. SAS 137 enhances transparency in reporting related to the auditor’s responsibilities for nonfinancial statement information included in annual reports.
SAS 136 will affect limited-scope audits when it takes effect by:
- referring to such audits as ERISA Sec.103(a)(3)(C) audits;
- clarifying what is expected of the auditor, including specific procedures when performing the audit; and
- establishing a new form of report that provides greater transparency about the scope and nature of the audit, and describes the procedures performed on the certified investment information.
For a summary of the SAS 136 changes to Form 5500 reporting, please refer to AICPA's At A Glance: New Auditing Standard for Employee Benefit Plans.
Conclusion
Limited scope audits of Form 5500 filings may only receive a Disclaimer of Opinion from the independent auditor. Note that for audits of plan information for periods ending on or after Dec. 15, 2020, limited scope audits will change under new SAS 136 and SAS 137.
Any information provided is for informational purposes only. It cannot be used for the purposes of avoiding penalties and taxes. Consumers should consult with their tax advisor or attorney regarding their specific situation.
©2020, Retirement Learning Center, LLC. Used with permission.
