Last Updated on June 18, 2025

If your business offers retirement or health benefits, Form 5500 filing is a critical part of staying compliant with federal regulations. The Form 5500 series is used to report important information about benefit plans and must be filed annually.

Learn More About Form 5500 Filing HERE.

Form 5500 Is Due By July 31, 2025 For Calendar Year Plans

Form 5500 is due seven months after the end of the plan year. For calendar-year plans, the deadline is July 31, 2025.

What About An Extension?

If an employer wants an extension, the employer may file a one-time, two-and-a-half-month extension (October 15, 2025) available by filing Form 5558.

Tip: Mark your calendar early- late filings can result in penalties of up to $2,739 per day, as of 2025!

Important Dates for 2025 Filing

July 31, 2025 – Form 5500 is due (unless extended).

July 31, 2025 – Form 5558 application for extension of time to file certain employee plan returns is due.

September 17, 2025 – Form 5500 is due (if relying on automatic extension based on the extension of federal corporate income tax return due date).

October 1, 2025 – Summary annual report due to participants (if 5500 deadline not extended).

Who Must File?

• Employers that are subject to ERISA must file an annual report (Form 5500) for their employee benefit plans.
• Generally, employers and plan administrators of the following must file:
• Retirement plans, including:
  • 401(k)
  • Pension and profit-sharing plans
• Health and welfare benefit plans with 100 or more participants, including:
  • Group health, dental, and vision plans
  • Life and disability insurance
  • Health FSAs

Who Does Not Need to File Form 5500?

• Solo 401(k) plans with less than $250,000 in assets and no employees other than the owner and spouse
• Fully insured health or welfare plans with fewer than 100 participants
• Government-sponsored benefit plans (i.e. plans for municipal or state employees)
• Church-sponsored benefit plans not subject to ERISA
• Voluntary employee-paid insurance plans where the employer does not contribute or endorse the plan
• Payroll practices such as vacation or sick leave paid directly from the employer’s general assets

Steps To Take For Filing Form 5500

An employer must file a Form 5500 for each separate employee benefit plan that it maintains, unless a filing exemption applies. Employers can combine different welfare benefits under a single plan to simplify their Form 5500 reporting obligation.

Small welfare benefit plans (fewer than 100 covered participants) that are unfunded or fully insured (or a combination of unfunded and insured) are exempt from the Form 5500 filing requirement.

Employers with calendar year plans that do not qualify for the filing exemption should work with their service providers to complete their Form 5500 and file it by July 1, 2025. Employers that need extra time should file Form 5588 by July 1, 2025.

Form 5500 Filing Made Easy with MyBenefitsDocs™ by MyHRConcierge

For employers offering retirement or health benefit plans, 5500 filing is how you demonstrate compliance and avoid costly penalties. With Form 5500 filing services through MyHRConcierge’s MyBenefitsDocs™, simply provide us with the required information by filling out a questionnaire, providing the schedules from your insurance company, insurance service or similar organization and we do the rest! We will file the 5500 on your behalf within sevem business days of receipt of the information, and provide you a confirmation of its successful filing to the IRS.

To learn more about Form 5500 filing with MyHRConcierge through MyBenefitsDocs™, contact Chris Cooley at ccooley@myhrconcierge.com, 855-538-6947 ext. 108. Or, schedule a free consultation below: