TX, LA Plans Get More Form 5500 Filing Time

September 23, 2008 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Federal regulators are giving plan sponsors in states along the Gulf of Mexico hit hard by Hurricane Ike more time to file their annual Form 5500 report.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) announced a new January 5, 2009, deadline for:

  • plans in Texas required to file their Form 5500 between September 7, 2008 and January 5, 2009; and
  • plans in Louisiana due between September 11, 2008, and January 5, 2009.

According to an EBSA news release, p lan filers entitled to an extension of relief should check Part I, Box D on the Form 5500 or Part I on Form 5500-EZ, and attach a statement to the form in accordance with the instructions.

The designated disaster areas for Texas include the counties of Angelina, Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Cherokee, Fort Bend, Galveston, Grimes, Hardin, Harris, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Madison, Matagorda, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Trinity, Tyler, Walker, Waller and Washington.

In Louisiana, the disaster areas include the parishes of Acadia, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Iberia, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafourche, Plaquemines, Sabine, St. Mary, Terrebonne, Vermilion and Vernon.

The extension also applies to firms located outside the affected areas that cannot get the necessary information from service providers, banks or insurance companies whose operations were directly affected by the weather, regulators said.

Filers who have additional questions may contact EBSA’s EFAST helpline at 866-463-3278.

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