AICPA National Conference on Employee Benefits Plans

This year’s AICPA National Conference on Employee Benefit Plans will prepare you on all fronts: from compliance assistance to reporting and disclosure guidelines to understanding and meeting fiduciary responsibilities. And with the many changes on the horizon, your attendance becomes even more imperative.

Hear from the Department of Labor, Treasury and the IRS. Top government officials provide in-depth, comprehensive updates on the wide range of issues affecting employee benefit plans today, including recent changes in accounting, auditing, and tax and enforcement regulations. Q&A sessions give you the first-hand information you need to gain a better understanding and new level of expertise.

New for 2010! The conference will provide a comprehensive, Basic Benefits Curriculum (focusing on retirement plans) and a Basic Compensation Curriculum (focusing on executive compensation) – designed specifically for attendees to learn the basics of the tax, regulatory and design aspects of employee benefits and compensation. Each Curriculum offers a group of sessions – led by nationally recognized practitioners – which will provide a practical, step-by-step approach to the subject matter. 

WHO SHOULD ATTEND
CPAs, auditors, tax practitioners, plan sponsors, third party administrators and consultants involved in the broad administration and financial areas of employee benefit plans.

TUESDAY, MAY 11 / DAY ONE
7:00 am - 4:40 pm Registration & Message Center Open
7:00 am - 8:00 am Continental Breakfast in the Exhibit Area
8:00 am - 8:15 am Welcome & Introduction

8:15 am - 9:15 am
1. Keynote Presentation
Michael L. Davis, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), Department of Labor

9:15 am - 10:45 am General Session
2. Regulatory Update
Ian Dingwall, U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration,
Washington, DC
Helen Morrison, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC

10:45 am - 11:15 am Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Area

11:15 am - 12:30 pm General Session
3. Overview of Developments Throughout the Year
Eddie Adkins, Grant Thornton LLP, Washington, DC
Michele Weldon, PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, Boston, MA

12:30 pm - 1:30 pm Luncheon

1:40 pm - 2:55 pm Concurrent Sessions
4. 403(b) Plans: What’s An Auditor To Do? (repeated in #19)
5. ASC 820 (Formerly FAS 157) Year 2 (repeated in #48)
6. Stable Value (repeated in #15)
7. Participant Data Testing Efficiency and Effectiveness (repeated in #35)
8. Qualified Retirement Plans: Overview of Types & Choices of Plans and Major Compliance Requirements
9. Retirement Plan Forget-Me-Nots: Common Compliance Errors to Avoid
10. How to Present on Schedule C: Plan Fees and Expenses (repeated in #64)
11. Advanced Q&A with Treasury

2:55 pm - 3:25 pm Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Area

3:25 pm - 4:40 pm Concurrent Sessions
12. Inspections of EBP Plans: Why So Many and How Are They Conducted
13. Investments: Audit & Accounting Basics (repeated in #36)
14. First Time Audits (repeated in #21)
15. Stable Value (repeat of #6)
16. An Introduction to Tax Compliance Requirements for 403(b) Plans
17. An Introduction to Section 409A Rules for Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plans
18. Welfare Benefits: Current Regulatory and Legislative Developments

4:40 pm - 6:00 pm Welcome Reception

WEDNESDAY, MAY 12 / DAY TWO
7:00 am - 5:30 pm Registration & Message Center Open
7:15 am - 8:30 am Continental Breakfast in the Exhibit Area

7:30 am - 8:30 am Morning Discussion Sessions
200. DOL Q&A
201. Networking on Building Your Practice
202. Health & Welfare I
203. Ask the Employee Benefit Plans Tax Technical Resource Panel
204. The Pension Protection Act (PPA): Four Blissful Years

8:40 am - 9:55 am Concurrent Sessions
19. 403(b) Plans: What’s An Auditor To Do? (repeat of #4)
20. Investments II
21. First Time Audits (repeat of #14)
22. Introduction to Employee Stock Ownership Plans
23. An Introduction to Definitions of Compensation and Related Compliance Problems
24. An Introduction to the Taxation of Stock Options and Restricted Stock
25. Fixing Operational and Plan Document Failures: A Case Study Approach

10:05 am - 11:20 am Concurrent Sessions
26. Investments: Insurance Products
27. Parties-in-Interest and Prohibited Transactions
28. 2009 Form 5500 (repeated in #51)
29. Advanced Audit & Accounting Issues for Employee Stock Ownership Plans
30. Step-by-Step Guide: Highly Compensated Employees, Coverage, Eligibility, Vesting and Participation
31. A Step-by-Step Guide to Compensation Benchmarking
32. Advanced NQDC and Equity Compensation

11:20 am - 11:50 am Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Area

11:50 am - 1:05 pm Concurrent Sessions
33. Alternative Investments
34. Audit Wrap-Up
35. Participant Data Testing Efficiency and Effectiveness (repeat of #7)
36. Investments: Audit & Accounting Basics (repeat of #13)
37. An Introduction to Retirement Plan Contribution, Benefit Limits, and Employer Deduction Limits
38. An Introduction to Executive Compensation Plan Design
39. Employee Plans Team Audit: IRS-Focused Exam

1:05 pm - 2:05 pm Luncheon

2:15 pm - 3:30 pm Concurrent Sessions
40. Plan Reorganizations (repeated in #58)
41. Fraud in a Benefit Plan
42. Unique Plan Types
43. 403(b) Plan Vendor/Sponsor Panel
44. A Step-by-Step Guide to 401(k) Plan Nondiscrimination Testing
45. A Step-by-Step Guide to Compensation Issues Encountered by Public and Large Private Companies
46. 403(b) Advanced Issues and Developments

3:30 pm - 4:00 pm Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Area

4:00 pm - 5:30 pm General Session
47. Ask the Regulators

THURSDAY, MAY 13 / DAY THREE
6:30 am - 12:25 pm Registration & Message Center Open
6:30 am - 8:00 am Continental Breakfast in the Exhibit Area

7:00 am - 7:50 am Morning Discussion Sessions
207. Financial Reporting Case Study
208. Audit Quality Center Update
209. Health & Welfare II
210. 2009 Form 5500 Q&A

8:00 am - 9:15 am Concurrent Sessions
48. ASC 820 (Formerly FAS 157) Year 2 (repeat of #5)
49. Top 10 Regulatory Compliance Errors
50. Audit Best Practices Roundtable
51. 2009 Form 5500 (repeat of #28)
52. An Introduction to Distributions and Loans in Qualified Retirement Plans
53. Recent Employee Benefits Litigation
54. Defined Benefit Plans Update

9:15 am - 9:45 am Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Area

9:45 am - 11:00 am Concurrent Sessions
55. Payroll Auditing Considerations

56. Client Acceptance and Auditor’s Reports
57. Complex Trust and Investment Arrangements
58. Plan Reorganizations (repeat of #40)
59. An Introduction to Qualified Plan Documents and Determination Letters
60. DOL Enforcement Issues: The Whole Truth – and Nothing But the Truth
61. Advanced 401(k)

11:10 am - 12:25 pm Concurrent Sessions
62. Ask the Experts
63. An Introduction to General Nondiscrimination Testing for Qualified Plans
64. How to Present on Schedule C: Plan Fees and Expenses (repeat of #10)
65. Advanced ESOP: Practice Pointers, Transaction Trends & Tax Updates

12:25 pm Conference Adjourns

BELLAGIO
3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Hotel Phone: (702) 693-7111
Hotel Reservations: (888) 987-6667
Hotel Room Rate: $189 single/double
Hotel Reservation Cut-off Date: April 10, 2010

Register Online:
https://reservations.mgmmirage.com/bookingengine.aspx?pid=190&host=offer&code=EMPL10