For employers offering employee benefit plans, September brings an important compliance deadline that can easily get overlooked: the Summary Annual Report (SAR).
Employers with calendar-year plans that are subject to Form 5500 and SAR requirements generally must provide the SAR to plan participants by September 30, 2026.
What Is a Summary Annual Report?
The SAR provides employees with a summary of the information reported on their benefit plan’s Form 5500. Employers subject to ERISA’s annual reporting requirements generally must provide this information to plan participants each year.
Depending on the plan, the SAR can include information about plan funding and insurance, basic financial information, participants’ rights to request the full Form 5500, and required language-assistance notices.
Does the Requirement Apply to Your Organization?
Not every benefit plan is required to provide an SAR.
Generally, the requirement applies to plans that must file Form 5500. Certain plans may be exempt, including insured welfare plans with fewer than 100 participants and self-insured welfare plans that are unfunded.
Understanding which requirements apply to your organization is an important part of maintaining an effective HR compliance process.
Don’t Miss the September 30 Deadline
For calendar-year plans, the SAR must generally be distributed by September 30, 2026.
If an employer received an extension for its Form 5500 filing, the SAR deadline for a calendar-year plan is extended to December 15, 2026.
SARs may be delivered by hand, U.S. mail, or electronically when applicable Department of Labor requirements are satisfied.
Let Eureka People Solutions Help You Stay Ahead
HR compliance involves a lot of moving pieces, and deadlines can quickly become another item competing for your attention.
Eureka People Solutions helps employers stay organized, understand their HR responsibilities, and build processes that keep important compliance requirements from slipping through the cracks.
Have questions about the SAR deadline or other HR compliance requirements?
Reach out to Eureka People Solutions. We’re here to help make HR a little easier.
This content is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice.