ERISA and plan documents. What the law asks of your plan.
How ERISA applies to your health and welfare plans: plan documents, SPDs, wrap documents, bonding, Form 5500 and audits, explained for employers.
Start with the main guide
Who is subject to ERISA?
ERISA applies to almost every health and welfare plan sponsored by a private-sector employer or union, whatever the company's size and whether the plan is insured or self-funded. Government plans, most church plans, plans kept only to comply with workers' compensation, unemployment or disability laws, plans abroad for nonresident aliens, and unfunded excess benefit plans are exempt.
Read the guideIn this guide
- Who Is Subject to ERISA for Health and Welfare Plans?
- What Is ERISA, and How Does It Apply to Health Plans?
- What Is the Purpose of ERISA for Health and Welfare Plans?
- Which Employers and Plans Does ERISA Cover?
- Who Is Exempt from ERISA Health and Welfare Plan Requirements?
- What Are the Most Common ERISA Compliance Challenges?
- How Do You Stay Compliant If You’re Subject to ERISA?
Guides 8
- ERISA bond costERISA and plan documentsGuide
- ERISA bond requirementsERISA and plan documentsGuide
- ERISA vs. non-ERISAERISA and plan documentsGuide
- ERISA wrap documentsERISA and plan documentsGuide
- The employee benefit plan auditERISA and plan documentsGuide
- The ERISA compliance checklistERISA and plan documentsGuide
- The Form 5500 deadline and extensionERISA and plan documentsGuide
- The summary plan descriptionERISA and plan documentsGuide
See what your plan is really costing you.
A Strategic Analysis starts with your plan documents and your broker agreement, then shows you what your plan costs, where the risk sits, and what a committee would decide with the full picture.