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EBSA News Release: [09/01/2005]
Contact Name: David
James or Gloria Della
Phone Number: (202) 693-4676 or x8664
Release
Number: 05-1650-NAT
U.S. Labor Department Extends Annual Reports Deadline
After Hurricane Katrina Hits Mississippi
WASHINGTON—The U. S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits
Security Administration (EBSA) today announced an extension of the deadline for
filing Form 5500 and Form 5500 EZ annual report/returns due to property damage
and destruction from Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi.
President Bush has declared a major disaster in 15 counties in
Mississippi due to the damage caused by the hurricane. The extension applies to
plan administrators, employers and other entities located in the areas directly
affected, as identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The
extension also applies to firms located outside the affected areas who are
unable to obtain the necessary information from service providers, banks or
insurance companies whose operations were directly affected by the hurricane.
If the President declares additional counties eligible for individual
assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act, this extension will also apply to them.
Under this relief, Form 5500 series filings required to be filed
between Aug. 29, 2005, and Oct. 31, 2005, are granted an extension until Oct.
31, 2005. Plan filers entitled to an extension of relief should check Part I,
Box D, on the Form 5500 or Part 1 on Form 5500-EZ and attach a statement to the
form in accordance with the instructions.
The agencies — EBSA, Internal Revenue Service and Pension Benefit
Guaranty Corporation — realize that, due to this natural disaster, there
may be instances when full compliance may not be possible. The guiding
principle must be to ensure that appropriate efforts are made to act
reasonably, prudently, and in the interest of the workers and their families
who rely on their health, pension and other benefits for their physical and
economic well-being.
For more information about disaster relief, contact the Federal
Emergency Management Agency at 1-800-621-3362 or (202) 621-FEMA or the Internal
Revenue Service at www.irs.gov under "Disaster Area Tax Relief." Filers who
have additional questions may contact EBSA's EFAST Help Line at
1-866-463-3278.
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