Accounting and Auditing Institute for Employee Benefit Plans

With a presidential election looming, the severe impacts of climate change, and global political and economic uncertainty, navigating the next 12-18 months will require careful analysis and a steady hand. Understanding the economic environment both at home in the United States and abroad will help you manage your benefit plan investment assets. This session will review key economic indicators, market conditions and policy implications to give you the information you need to make prudent investment decisions.

A representative of the United States Department of Labor (DOL) has been invited to address agency topics, including:

• Regulatory agenda
• Enforcement activities and priorities
• Recent proposed and enacted guidance
• Filing and reporting updates.

In an ever-changing environment, it is crucial to keep abreast of the forces that are at play, impacting the profession. A panel of professionals will lead a discussion addressing:

• What audit teams will look like
• How to find talent
• Competition in the workforce
• The role of technology in creating (audit) efficiencies
• Potential pitfalls.

In a series of short debates, this session will provide varying considerations and perspectives on the following:

• Withdrawal liability receivables
• Vacation benefits
• Use of Service Organization Controls (SOC) Reports—Sampling
• Documenting/testing IT systems and cybersecurity
• Investment testing
• Claims testing.

Since contributions are the life of any fund, payroll auditing and accounting for contributions are critical. This session will focus on:

• How to audit and be in compliance
• Contributions
• Audit file documentation
• Accounting for receivables
• Overpayments
• Participant data ramifications.

This session has been designed to review the Department of Labor’s recent Quality Report, address the findings and review how to best address deficiencies.

Auditing welfare claims is complex. This session will review key elements such as:

• Latest health plan schemes—planning and risk assessment
• Analytics—traditional vs. data mining
• Claims testing
• Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA)
• Best practices.

It is imperative to understand actuarial reports, and this session has been designed to provide an understanding of actuarial reports and what to do with the information received. In addition, it will highlight what actuaries do with participant data and how it affects the numbers in their reports. Topics include:

• Timing and coordination of effort between actuary and auditor
• Why it is important the actuary obtain good participant data
• How auditors can efficiently use the information in the actuary report.

This session will provide an overview of the key areas that will aid in preparing for an audit, including:

• Understanding employee benefit plan statements
• Preparing better financial statements
• Responding to auditors’ requests
• Working with other departments
– What you need to look for – Answering inquiries – Coordinating information and responses
• Cost perspectives
• Common findings.

Communication is key, and this session will highlight the best practices in the following:

• Trustee communications
• Fund office communications
• Why timing and completeness are important for auditor requests
• Delivering constructive feedback.

This session will allow for a self-directed discussion on the unique accounting and auditing challenges and opportunities of working in small- to medium-sized organizations.

This session will allow for a self-directed discussion on the unique accounting and auditing challenges and opportunities of working in small- to medium-sized organizations.

Cybersecurity is not just an IT-related issue—It impacts every organization and needs to be addressed strategically. This session will explore:

• Findings and considerations
– Action items from findings
• Internal controls
• Department of Labor (DOL) best practices
• Cyber insurance
• Service Organization Controls (SOC) for cybersecurity.

This session will feature a panel of professionals who will address topics submitted by the audience throughout the conference, plus a few additional topics of significance. It’s an opportunity to share stories and ideas as well as learn of successes and failures.

Close out your conference experience immersed in a discussion around artificial intelligence (AI). This session will consider how AI is impacting the economy, consumers and the job market. With a focus on the opportunities and challenges AI presents in the benefits world and in our daily lives, this session presents ideas to explore and consequences to look out for as this technology continues to expand.