What does the annual report on Form 5500 typically include?

The annual report on Form 5500 serves as a comprehensive document that provides detailed information regarding a plan's financial condition and operations. This form is essential for compliance with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and is used by the IRS and the Department of Labor to monitor and regulate retirement plans.

By including financial data such as income, expenses, plan assets, and liabilities, Form 5500 enables stakeholders, including plan participants, to understand the fiscal health of the retirement plan. This level of detail aids in transparency and accountability, ensuring that a plan is being managed effectively and in accordance with regulations.

While a list of members in the plan or comparisons of participant contributions could provide useful insights, they are not central features of the 5500 report as it focuses primarily on the financial and operational aspects of the plan. Likewise, investment strategies may be summarized in other documents but are not specifically a core requirement of Form 5500. Therefore, detailed information on a plan's financial condition and operations is the most accurate representation of what this annual report typically includes.