| Home » Information » Frequently Asked Questions |
|
|
|
| Frequently Asked Questions |
|
|
Below are the answers to some of the questions most commonly asked by
FreeERISA users. If you have additional questions not covered by this FAQ,
please feel free to contact us.
General
What is FreeERISA.com?
FreeERISA.com is a division of Judy Diamond Associates, a leading provider
of data to the employee benefits industry for forty years. We offer ten free and
six premium (for-pay) databases, as well as numerous helpful articles related to
employee benefits, human resources, and finance. Currently we have over 300,000
registered users.
What is ERISA?
ERISA is the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. This act requires
companies to file information with the IRS on their qualified pension and
welfare plans on an annual basis. This information is made publicly available on
FreeERISA.
Where do you get your data?
Our data comes from a variety of public and private sources including the US
Department of Labor, the IRS, the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation, and
several state governments.
Where can I find more comprehensive search
tools than are available on FreeERISA?
Many financial professionals require more flexibility, power, and timeliness for
their prospecting and marketing than can be made available freely on
FreeERISA.com. Individuals interested in expanded database offerings may want to contact
our parent company, Judy Diamond Associates, at 800-231-0669 or visit their
website, http://www.judydiamond.com.
Back to Top
Registration
Why do I have to register to use the site?
In order to support our ten free databases, FreeERISA relies on revenue from a
variety of sources, including advertising. Registering helps us keep those
services free. In addition, registering prevents other FreeERISA users from
accessing any premium features you may have registered for. Registration is
fast, easy, and secure. You can register by
clicking here.Will I receive spam if I register for your
site?
No! Spam is e-mail that is unsolicited. Any e-mails you receive as a registered
user of FreeERISA is approved by us, and in many cases will inform you of major
improvements to the website. We are in compliance with all federal anti-spam
legislation, and you are free to opt-out at any time.
I receive an error that says "That email is
already in use. If it is yours, please update your existing account."
This means that at some time in the past, you or someone else signed up for
FreeERISA using your e-mail address. You do not have to re-register, all you
have to do is log-in using your e-mail address and password. If you're not sure
of your password, please see this section
of the FAQ.
What is an access code?
The access code allows us to confirm that your e-mail address is working
properly. This ensures that you will not have any trouble logging in, and we
will be able to contact you regarding your registration should the need arise.
Sending an e-mail confirmation following registration is an industry-standard
practice that also helps to protect your identity.
Why haven't I received my access code?
When you register, your access code is sent out immediately via our automated
system to the e-mail address you provided during your registration. Depending on
Internet traffic, it will usually arrive in seconds, although we ask you to wait
at least twenty-four hours before contacting us in the event that there is a
problem. If you did not receive your access code, it is likely due to one of
several factors:
The e-mail address you provided us was
invalid, or your mailbox is full.
You e-mail server is blocking the access code
e-mail as spam.
Your e-mail program is filing the access code
e-mail to a spam or bulk e-mail folder.
The access code e-mail was accidentally
deleted.
There was a typo in the e-mail address you
provided (i.e. [email protected] instead of [email protected])
In any case, if you do not receive your access
code, please send an e-mail to
[email protected]. This allows us to see that your e-mail address is
indeed valid and your account will be turned on right away. Please be sure to
send this e-mail from the address you used to register, as for security reasons
we cannot activate an account if the request comes from a different address
(i.e. you cannot register using your personal e-mail address and then request
your access code using your business e-mail address).
How do I change my password,
e-mail, or other registration information?
You can update your account by clicking on
Update Registration, which appears in the upper right of the FreeERISA
homepage.
How do I unsubscribe from your e-mail list?
As mentioned in the FreeERISA privacy policy you must agree to when registering,
we will occasionally send our registered users e-mail notices we feel will be
beneficial to them. To remove yourself completely from our mailing list, please
send an e-mail to [email protected].
Please not that this will completely remove you from FreeERISA and you will be
unable to access any of our databases.
I unsubscribed, but I'm still getting e-mails!
E-mail lists are typically generated several weeks in advance, so it may take up
to one month for your unsubscribe request to be processed. If you re-register
for FreeERISA, you will continue receiving e-mails, even if you formerly
submitted an unsubscribe request. It is also possible that you registered using
several e-mail addresses - all must be removed individually.
Back to Top
Logging On
What is my username?
Your username is simply the e-mail address you used to register with.
I've forgotten my password.
If at any time you are attempting to log in, but cannot remember your password,
simply enter your e-mail address and click the Forgot Your Password link,
available in the upper right of the FreeERISA homepage:
I receive an error that says "There is no user
registered with this email address."
To register for FreeERISA, please use our
registration page. Also verify that the e-mail address you entered does not
contain any typos. Often users will allow their browser to fill in the field for
them, not realized that the browser had saved erroneous information.
I receive an error that says "You have entered
an invalid password. Please try again."
Please be sure you are logging in using your e-mail address and password
exactly as they appear in our system - this is case sensitive. Also please be
sure that there are no typos in your e-mail address. Often, users will let their
browser complete the form FOR them, not realizing that the information Windows
has saved is erroneous. Please verify you password by following the instructions
in the "I've forgotten my password"
section.
I receive an error that says "Login Error:
Your user id and password did not match any entries in our list of users."
This error only appears for users attempting to log on the one of our premium
Broker-Carrier Market Share databases, which required a separate registration.
Please only use the login provided on the FreeERISA homepage.
I receive an error that
says "The email address that you provided during your freeERISA.com registration
may not be working."
To comply with CAN-SPAM legislation, whenever an e-mail is bounced back to us as
undeliverable, the account is then made inactive. To reactivate your account,
please follow the instructions to update your account.
I'm able to successfully log on, but as soon
as I try to use a database, I'm asked to enter my e-mail address and password
again in a continuous loop.
This sounds like a problem with your browser's cookie settings. To access
freeERISA, simply adjust your browser to Accept All Cookies (the easy way), or
set it to accept cookies from FreeERISA.com (the harder but more secure way).
Please consult your browser's documentation for assistance on how to do this.
Back to Top
Form 5500 Database
What is the form 5500?
The form 5500 is the document required by the ERISA act
on which most FreeERISA data is based. The
ERISA Form 5500 Filings database
is the most popular service, free or premium, on FreeERISA. Depending on the
plan, it may contain information on the number of participants, benefits
offered, insurance brokers and carriers, service providers, trustees, plan
assets, and more.
Why are the only 5500s I can find two or three
years old?
The information on FreeERISA is the most recent publicly available information
from the US Department of Labor. Companies have 210 days after the end of their
plan year in which to file their form 5500. It then takes the government several
months to make the information public. Our parent company,
Judy Diamond Associates, offers several
products with information more up-to-date then what is available on FreeERISA.
How can I obtain older form 5500s, attachments
like actuarial assumptions, auditors reports, plan provisions, or financial
statements?
Our document retrieval division can obtain paper copies of form 5500s, as
well as many other documents, on a premium basis. You can find out more about
our services and request documents by going to the
Research Department homepage.
Why doesn't Company X have a 5500 for Plan Y?
I know they filed one!
Here are the most common reasons that you may not find a 5500 filing on
FreeERISA:
The plan sponsor or administrator did not file
for the year in question.
The 5500 was filed late, or with a request for
an extension for filing.
The 5500 filing was lost, by either the IRS or
the DOL.
The 5500 was filed under the name and EIN of
its parent company.
The sponsor filed a 5500-EZ (which we do not
disclose on FreeERISA.com).
The 5500 was filled out incorrectly, which
delayed its acceptance.
The plan was too small to file (i.e. most
welfare plans with fewer than 100 participants).
The sponsor was exempt from filing
(non-profit, government agency, church, etc.).
You may be using a variant spelling of the
name: WALMART vs. WAL-MART.
The name or EIN may have a typo in our
records. (try searching on another field).
The plan is less than two years old, and there
are no records publicly available yet.
The plan has not been released to the public
in an electronic format.
Why doesn't this plan have a particular
schedule?
Part II item 10 of the form 5500 will indicate which schedules were filed with
the government. Several schedules, including the SSA, E, and F, are not made
publicly available. Others only need to be filed when certain criteria are met.
Schedule A is only filed if the plan is insured. Schedule C is only filed if a
plan provider was paid $5,000 or more out of plan funds. For a complete list of
requirements, please see the instructions to the form 5500, which are available
from the IRS or DOL.
Why is the 5500 database listed under both
Free and Premium reference databases?
The 5500 database consists of two sections, free and premium. They are listed on
the same page for ease of use, and so are referenced under both lists. The
available search fields are:
|
Free |
Premium |
Company Name
State
ZIP Code
|
Pension Plan Type
Metropolitan Area
Total Assets
Number of Participants
|
Will subscribing to the premium 5500 database
allow me to view older 5500s/export data/allow me to create prospecting lists?
The premium 5500 search is simply an expanded search. The results will
appear exactly as they do for the free 5500 search. The only difference is you
will be able to narrow your searches down more easily to include only those
plans you're interested in reviewing. If you're looking for a more comprehensive
database, please contact our parent company, Judy Diamond Associates, at
800-231-0669, or visit their website.
How do I search for 5500s by EIN?
Our EIN Finder database acts as a
gateway to the rest of the site, and will allow you to access all 5500s filed
under a particular EIN number.
If the
database is free, why is it asking me to pay $59.95 whenever I do a search?
You still have access to the entire 5500 database free of charge, but you can
only use the search options listed in the free
section. Please make sure that you are not trying to search for plan type,
region, assets, or participants and you will not be required to make payment.
I hit search,
and it tells me there were X matches found, but it doesn't display any!
This happens on some computers when you use your back button instead of the
links provided to navigate between the search screen and the results screen. To
solve the problem, try closing all instances of your browser and then go back to
FreeERISA. To prevent the problem, please only use the navigation links provided
instead of your browser's back button.
Back to Top
EIN Finder
What is EIN Finder?
EIN Finder is a searchable database of
over five million employer identification numbers (also known as tax IDs, FEINs,
TINs, etc.). These are nine-digit numbers assigned by the IRS to businesses
operating in the United States. EINs must be included on numerous tax forms,
from W-9s to customs declarations. Every FreeERISA gets three free searches in
EIN Finder, after which it becomes a premium service.
Searching for a company in EIN Finder will also
bring up a list of every instance that the particular EIN appears in nearly
every other FreeERISA database, thus acting as a gateway to FreeERISA.
How do I sign up?
To sign up for EIN Finder, you must first be a registered
user of FreeERISA.com. Then, simply go to the
EIN Pricing Page, select an option, and
within moments of entering your credit card information onto our secure server,
you can begin searching. You can also call us at 202-728-0111 and speak to a
representative about paying by check or signing up for one of our corporate
options.
Why can't I find this company's EIN? I know it
exists.
EIN Finder contains approximately five million EIN numbers, however there are
millions more in the United States. Most of these other EINs are for trusts or
estates. An EIN not appearing in our database does not mean it is invalid. We
are constantly looking for new sources of government data to supplement our
current listing of EINs.
You list an old address for this company.
Our EIN database has been put together through hundreds of hours of research
over several years, and has been compiled from numerous government sources.
Occasionally, we may list an older address, or a branch address depending on the
source of the most recent occurrence of that EIN. If you find a listing you know
to be in error, please use our EIN Update
feature and we will correct it.
It says I have already used up my three free
searches, but this is my first time on the site today.
Each user is provided three free searches for the life of their registration.
Searches do not recycle. If you would like to purchase more searches, please use
our EIN Pricing Page.Back to Top
Free Databases
What is a 5310?
Form 5310 is required to be filed with the IRS when a group decides to terminate
its qualified retirement plan. This applies to defined contribution as well as
defined benefit plans. These applications are divided into two files: OPEN
(those 5310 cases that are still being reviewed by the government), and CLOSED
(those 5310 cases on which a determination has been reached - either the plan
has been granted permission to terminate, or has been denied).
In the 5310 database,
what is the control date?
The control date is simply the date on which the filing was initially processed
by the IRS.
How do I prospect for rollovers using the 5310
database?
If you would like information on prospecting for rollovers amongst plans in the
5310 database, please see
this issue of
Prospecting and Sales Insight by Rich White. You can also view other helpful
articles, including other issues of Sales Insight, by
clicking here.
What are public pension funds? Do you have any
more information on them than is available on the site?
Public in this sense refers to state, county, and municipal government plans
(not to publicly traded companies, which are included in the 5500 database).
These funds are exempt from ERISA filing, and the only data we have on them
comes directly from the US Census - state, retirement system, type (city,
county, etc.), total receipts, total payments, total cash and securities, and
total active membership.
What is a top hat plan?
Top Hat plans are exempt from ERISA rules regarding funding, participation,
vesting, and fiduciary duties. Top Hat plans are unfunded plans maintained by
employers primarily for the purpose of providing deferred compensation for a
select group of management or highly compensated employees. Employers use the
Top Hat exemptions to construct generous compensation packages to attract and
retain key employees and executives. Top hat plans do not file reports
annually. Typically, the only information available on the plans is -
sponsor, city and ZIP, number of plans, participants, and date filed.
Can I get a list of top hat plans in my area?
Yes. This is a service provided by our parent company,
Judy Diamond Associates. Please call
them at 800-231-0669 for more information.
What is the provider/client database?
This is a database of entities that provide plan services (contract
administration, legal, recordkeeping, etc.) and who they provide those services
to. It is based off the Schedule C of the form 5500, which is only filed if the
provider(s) was paid $5,000 or more out of plan assets. It is important to keep
this in mind as many employers pay provider fees directly. Thus this database
will not be a complete listing of the clients of any particular provider, only
those shown on Schedule C.
What is the Trust EIN Finder?
An employer or plan sponsor who has a trust as part of a plan must have a Trust
Identification Number. This number is distinct from the employer identification
number or "EIN." Those who professionally administer retirement plans need this
number. It is derived from the Schedule P of the form 5500. The Trust EIN Finder
will allow you to search for companies with Schedule Ps, and take you directly
to them.What's the difference between companies in the
Terminating Pension Plans database and companies that appear in the 5310
database?
Plans in the 5310 database include both defined contribution and defined benefit
plans that are attempting to obtain a favorable determination from the
government to terminate. The Terminating Pension Plans database includes only
defined benefit plans that have elected to terminate with the Pension Benefit
Guarantee Corporation (PBGC). Most, but not all of these plans have distributed
the pension fund monies to the participants.
Back to Top
Premium Databases
Why are you called "free" ERISA if you're
charging for your services?
Most of our services are and will continue to remain available to the public at
no charge. However, all or parts of several of our databases have required a
significant amount of time and money to research and build, and we feel that,
with the amount of business they can generate, they are well worth the cost to
you.How do I learn more about your Broker-Carrier
Market Share and Invisible Pension Market databases?
These databases are hosted on FreeERISA by our parent company, Judy Diamond
Associates. Please feel free to contact them at 800-231-0669 for more
information on these and other useful databases.
How do I learn more about your other for-pay
offerings?
Our sales team is available to answer any questions from 9AM to 5PM Eastern
time, Monday through Friday, by calling 202-728-0111. Please note that this
number is for sales inquiries and technical support on our premium databases
only.Back to Top
Document Retrieval
How can I obtain documents that are not
available on FreeERISA?
Our document retrieval division can obtain paper copies of many documents related to
employee benefits and labor unions on a premium basis. You can find out more about
our services and request documents by going to the
Research Department homepage.
Can I get plan documents?
Plan documents are only available to plan participants through their
administrator or sponsor - we cannot obtain them.
Can I get a summary plan description?
Plan sponsors ceased having to file their SPDs with the government in 1997.
Therefore, the most recent copy we could obtain would be from that year or
earlier. Because of the datedness of the material, we do not recommend relying
on SPDs for current plan information. The form 5500 is the better source.
How far back do your records go?
Depending on the type of document you requested, our records can go back as far
as 1993 for most employee benefit filing and to 1959 for some labor-related
documents.
Back to Top
Beyond the Scope of FreeERISA
I want a list of companies that meet this criteria.
Many users are looking for lists, usually for prospecting purposes, such as "all
small 401(k) plans in my ZIP code." Such lists are available from our
parent
company, Judy Diamond Associates. You
can contact their sales department at 800-231-0669.
Can you assist me in filing my form 5500?
Although FreeERISA hosts form 5500s, we do not have any financial or legal
professionals on staff. If you require assistance in filing, please try
contacting the Employee Benefit Security Administration's assistance line at
202-693-8630.
What should I do if my employer is withholding
my pension?
The data on FreeERISA is geared primarily to financial professionals, and
FreeERISA employees are not qualified to assist participants in obtaining
benefits. You may want to try contacting a legal professional who specializes in
ERISA law, consult a website like
planparticipant.org, or contact
the Department of Labor's assistance line at 202-693-8630.
How much money is in my pension?
Although FreeERISA contains data on hundreds of thousands of benefit plans, we
do not have any information on benefits available to individual participants.
Please contact your plan sponsor or plan administrator for this information.
Is it legal to do what this business
is doing?
FreeERISA does not employ any legal professionals, and is not qualified to make
a determination regarding any legal or financial advising questions. You may
want to try contacting a legal professional who specializes in ERISA law, or
consult a website like
planparticipant.org or
benefitslink.com.Back to Top
|
|
