Plan documents, SPDs, wrap documents, Form 5500 - most employers have all of these, and most employers have at least one pair of them that quietly disagree with each other.
Clarity's next compliance briefing walks through how to check alignment before renewal, which Form 5500 fields are triggering corrections this year, and exactly what happens if a DOL audit letter lands on your desk. It's free, it's focused, and it's on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, 11:00 AM ET / 10:00 AM CT. Save your free spot.
Why this webinar, and why now
Three weeks out from October 15 - the extended Form 5500 deadline for calendar-year plans - is exactly the window when most compliance gaps get discovered the hard way: mid-filing, under deadline pressure, with an auditor or a DOL letter forcing a level of document scrutiny nobody had time for earlier in the year.
This session is built for that exact moment. It's not a broad "here's everything in ERISA" overview. It's a focused, 30-minute walkthrough of the specific documents, filings, and audit triggers most likely to create real exposure for employers heading into open enrollment and year-end.
What you'll leave with
- A side-by-side framework for checking plan document, SPD, and wrap alignment - a practical way to catch the kind of documentation mismatch that turns into real legal risk when a participant disputes a claim
- The specific Form 5500 fields causing this year's corrections - the recurring, granular issues (participant count mismatches, Schedule A and C inconsistencies, outdated plan characteristic codes) that account for a disproportionate share of filing corrections
- A coordination checklist for TPAs and carriers so nothing slips through the cracks before open enrollment begins
- A plain-language answer to "what actually happens in a DOL audit" - from the first document request letter through to possible correction programs, explained without the legal jargon
Who this is for
- Benefits brokers advising clients through renewal and year-end compliance work
- HR and benefits leaders directly responsible for plan documents, Form 5500 filings, and audit readiness
- Compliance advisors who need a clear, current framework to bring back to their teams
If you've ever dug through old plan documents under deadline pressure trying to figure out whether the SPD actually matches what the carrier's certificate says - this is built for you.
The bigger pattern behind all three topics
Plan document misalignment, Form 5500 corrections, and DOL audit exposure aren't three unrelated risks. They're usually symptoms of the same underlying issue: data and documentation that live in disconnected systems and never get fully reconciled until something forces the question. A wrap document that hasn't been updated after a carrier change. A Form 5500 participant count that doesn't match enrollment records. An eligibility decision nobody can produce a clear record of.
We've broken each of these down in more depth this month: what's actually due before the extended Form 5500 deadline, how plan documents, SPDs, and wrap documents are supposed to work together, and a full readiness checklist for employee benefit plan audits - including a plain-language walkthrough of what a DOL investigation actually looks like.
This is also exactly why we've spent the past few months writing about the compliance side of benefits administration more broadly - our recent pieces on choosing an HSA administrator, comparing FSA, HSA, and HRA administrators, state-level HSA tax exceptions, and spousal HSA/FSA coordination all trace back to the same theme: clean, connected data is what makes compliance demonstrable, not just technically correct. Our earlier pieces on where 2026 compliance risk actually concentrates and why a secure, well-governed participant experience matters as much as the plan design itself cover the same throughline from different angles. It's a thread we'll be picking up more directly next month as we roll out expanded integration capabilities across the Clarity platform - more on that soon.
What to expect from the session itself
This is a working session, not a lecture. Expect:
- A structured framework you can actually apply to your own plan documents afterward, not just a list of things to worry about
- Real examples of the kinds of mismatches and errors that show up most often
- Time built in for questions specific to your own plan structure
Frequently asked questions
When is the Plan Documents, Filings & Audits webinar?
Wednesday, October 7, 2026, from 11:00 AM to approximately 11:30 AM ET (10:00–10:30 AM CT).
Is this webinar free?
Yes. Save your free spot here.
What topics does the webinar cover?
Plan document, SPD, and wrap document alignment; the specific Form 5500 fields causing this year's filing corrections; a TPA and carrier coordination checklist before open enrollment; and a plain-language walkthrough of what happens in a DOL audit.
How long is the webinar?
Approximately 30 minutes, designed as a focused working session rather than a broad overview.
Who should attend?
Benefits brokers, HR and benefits leaders, and compliance advisors responsible for plan documents, Form 5500 filings, or audit readiness.
Is this webinar useful for brokers, or only for internal HR/benefits teams? Both. The framework is built to be immediately usable by brokers reviewing client plans, as well as HR and compliance teams managing their own plan documentation directly.
Will I get a recording if I can't attend live?
Registrants are typically added to the follow-up list that includes the recording and slides - RSVP to be included.
Do I need to already know the difference between a plan document and an SPD to get value from this?
No. The session is built to walk through the distinctions clearly, so it works whether you're refreshing your knowledge or starting from scratch.
Get ahead of the deadline, not behind it
Three weeks out is enough time to fix a documentation gap before it becomes a filing problem or an audit finding. It's not enough time to wait much longer.
Save your free spot for the webinar →
Want to see how Clarity keeps plan data clean and audit-ready year-round? Schedule a demo or request more information today.
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