2021 Employee Benefit Plans Virtual Conference

Join the Greater Washington Society of CPAs for our eighth Annual Employee Benefit Plans Conference. This conference is for both plan auditors and fiduciaries covering topics relevant to your EBP audits. Attend this conference to learn about the complexities, trending issues and best practices in benefit plans.

Who should attend: CPAs, auditors, and financial professionals who specialize in accounting and auditing for employee benefit plans; officers/administrators responsible for plan compliance or daily activities of the plan, including plan sponsors, HR managers or directors, trustees and plan professional staff (personnel).

Groups of 3 or more, take 10% off (promo code GROUP3)
Groups of 5 or more, take 15% off (promo code GROUP5)

Delivery Method: Group Internet-based
Program Level: Overview
Prerequisite: None
Advanced Preparation: None
Field of Study: Accounting, Auditing, Specialized Knowledge, Taxes

GWSCPA is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

General Sessions

Welcome Remarks
1:00 PM-1:10 PM
Caila Augun, CPA
Audit Manager / Johnson Lambert LLP
Vienna, VA
Angela C. Juvelis, CPA
Senior Audit Manager / Buchbinder Tunick & Co. LLP
Bethesda, MD

Department of Labor Update Credits: 1.0 AU
1:10 PM-2:00 PM
Michael E. Auerbach, CPA
Chief Accountant / U.S. Department of Labor
Washington, DC

Session Break
2:00 PM-2:15 PM

The Top Issues in 2020: From SECURE Act to CARES Act and Beyond Credits: 1.0 SK
2:15 PM-3:05 PM
Eric Ernest, CPA
Partner / McConnell & Jones
Washington, DC
Adam Meehan, LLM
Partner/Attorney / Smith & Downey, P.A.
Baltimore, MD
The session will be a back-and-forth discussion of the legal and audit implications of recent legislative and regulatory initiatives. Specifically, Adam will give the update and background on the SECURE Act and CARES Act, among other initiatives, and what plan sponsors are, or should be, thinking about, and Eric will provide insight into the considerations that auditors will have to keep in mind as they embark on 2020 audits.

Session Break
3:05 PM-3:20 PM

SOC Report Reliance for Benefit Plans Credits: 1.0 AU
3:20 PM-4:10 PM
Ian Howe
Manager / Johnson Lambert LLP
Vienna, VA
Participants will gain an understanding of SOC Reports and how to review them related to Employee Benefit Plans. We will take a deep dive into auditor's testing and reliance on SOC reports as well as what Plan Sponsors should consider when reviewing the reports.

Session Break
4:10 PM-4:25 PM

SAS 136 Credits: 1.0 AU
4:25 PM-5:15 PM
Michele Chalmers, CPA
Principal / CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP
Timonium, MD

Topics include:

• A summary of SAS 136, including implementation dates and background on the standard
• Key points you should discuss with your client now about the implementation of SAS 136 during the current year audit
• Details on how SAS 136 will affect risk assessment
• Changes to managements responsibility over investment certification due to SAS 136
• The effect SAS 136 will have on deliverables and representation letter

Wednesday, May 12, 2021

General Sessions

Opening Remarks
1:00 PM-1:05 PM
Caila Augun, CPA
Audit Manager / Johnson Lambert LLP
Vienna, VA
Angela C. Juvelis, CPA
Senior Audit Manager / Buchbinder Tunick & Co. LLP
Bethesda, MD

AICPA Update Credits: 1.0 AU
1:05 PM-1:55 PM
Susan W. Hicks, CPA
Senior Manager / Association of International Certified Professional Accountants
Washington, DC
This session will provide participants with an overview of AICPA activities that affect EBP auditors. It will include information about the Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center, the AICPA's Enhancing Audit Quality Initiative, Peer Review and Ethics activities, and the AICPA's EBP resources.

Session Break
1:55 PM-2:10 PM

Demystifying Actuarial Reporting and How to Audit Credits: 1.0 AU
2:10 PM-3:00 PM
Mary Margaret Prange, CPA
Partner / Calibre CPA Group, PLLC
Bethesda, MD
Karen Zangara, FSA, EA, MAAA
Principal Consulting Actuary / Cheiron, Inc.
Mount Laurel, NJ
This session will explore the differences between actuarial reports, focusing primarily on various types of retirement plan reports with some review of OPEB plans. In addition we will gain an understanding of how actuarial assumptions are determined for different types of retirement plans which are used in the calculation of the benefit obligations and what procedures the auditor must perform. Finally we will delve into Plan’s management’s responsibilities regarding the Plan’s benefit obligations.

Session Break
3:00 PM-3:15 PM

“Ask the Experts” Panel Credits: 1.5 SK
3:15 PM-4:30 PM
Jennifer Amato, CPA
Audit Director / SC&H Group, Inc.
Tysons Corner, VA
Julia Lafferty, CPA
Principal / Councilor, Buchanan & Mitchell, P.C.
Bethesda, MD
Sandi Russell
Partner / Smith & Downey, P.A.
Baltimore, MD
Karen Zangara, FSA, EA, MAAA
Principal Consulting Actuary / Cheiron, Inc.
Mount Laurel, NJ
Bring your most pressing questions related to employee benefit plans and get answers from experts in the field. The panel consist of CPAs/Auditors, an ERISA Attorney and an Actuary. Submit your questions in advance to info@gwscpa.org, or bring them to the session.

Jennifer Amato, CPA

Michael E. Auerbach, CPA

Caila Augun, CPA

Michele Chalmers, CPA

Eric Ernest, CPA

Susan W. Hicks, CPA

Ian Howe

Angela C. Juvelis, CPA

Julia Lafferty, CPA

Adam Meehan, LLM

Mary Margaret Prange, CPA

Sandi Russell

Karen Zangara, FSA, EA, MAAA

Conference Site

Directions

Click here to see a map.

Standard Registration

$270 GWSCPA Members, $330 Non-Members

Contact the Society for information on group registration discounts!

Cancellation by registrant / refund policy

If you are unable to attend a seminar or conference, please notify us as soon as possible.

The GWSCPA cancellation and refund schedule for offsite events is as follows:

100% refund minus $150 processing fee within 4 weeks (20 business days) of the event
75% refund within 3 weeks (15 business days) of the event
50% refund within 2 weeks (10 business days) of the event
No refund to be issued if cancellation is 9 business days, or less, of the event date

*Substitutes will be accepted, in writing to GWSCPA, up to 2 business days prior to the event date (see below for details).
* Non-member substitutes will be charged the fee difference if they are substituting for a member-discounted registration.

Refunds in the same form of tender as the original purchase minus the processing fee. Payments made by check will be refunded via check within 30 days of cancellation.

*Cancellations and/or substitutions must be submitted in writing and sent to Kari Bedell at: kbedell@gwscpa.org