Sarah Borders, CEBS October 10, 2022 2 min read

Summary Annual Report (SAR) Distributed by September 30 for Calendar Year Plans

The Summary Annual Report (SAR) must be given to plan participants (employees, COBRA QBs, retirees, but NOT dependents/spouses) within 9 months of the end of the plan year if the employer had to file Form 5500. For calendar year plans, this means it must be given out by September 30th. If a 5500 extension was filed, the employer must send the SAR within 2 months after the close of the period for which the extension was granted.

There is an exemption from having to distribute a SAR for plans that do not have to file Form 5500, and also for totally unfunded self-insured plans, regardless of size. However, large fully insured plans are subject to the requirement to give out the SAR.

If you have questions regarding this, please contact your trusted advisor at Hausmann Group.

Sarah Borders, CEBS

Principal, Benefits Compliance Solutions. Sarah has spent the last 15 years in the employee benefits industry, has numerous designations and serves on NAHU’s Employer Working Group Subcommittee and is an active board member of Austin AHU. She recently stepped down as Vice President of Benefits Compliance at one of the nation's largest brokerage firms to start her own compliance consulting practice. Her designations include an active license with the Texas Department of Insurance, CEBS (Certified Employee Benefits Specialist), Certified Health Care Reform Professional, HIPAA certification and Health Care Service Associate. She holds an MBA from Texas A&M Corpus Christi and a BA from University of Incarnate Word. Her consulting firm, Benefits Compliance Solutions, partners with employers to identify unknown risks and avoid hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines and lawsuits from failure to comply with their healthplan obligations.