2026 EBP Audit Benchmarking Survey

EBP audits are demanding work and most firms have no idea how their workflow stacks up against peers. This 1-minute survey benchmarks how US firms manage the reconciliation of 401(k) and 403(b) plan financials, Form 5500 filings, trust statements, and participant data: tools used, time spent, errors caught, and where capacity breaks down.

Responses are anonymous. Opt in at the end and we'll send you a personalized cut of the 2026 EBP Audit Benchmarking Report, showing how firms your size compare on tieout time, error rates, and capacity pressure.

What best describes your role?

A

Audit Partner / Principal

B

Audit Manager

C

Audit Senior / Staff

D

Sole Practitioner

E

Other

How many EBP audits does your firm/practice complete per year?

A

Fewer than 5

B

5-50

C

51-100

D

More than 100

How large is your EBP practice?

A

Solo practitioner

B

2-50 staff

C

51-100 staff

D

100+ staff

Your EBP audit workflow

What tools do you use to tie out plan financials, Form 5500 figures, and participant data in your EBP audits? (Select all that apply)

A

Microsoft Excel (manual)

B

Audit software (e.g. CaseWare, ProSystem)

C

Custom internal scripts or macros

D

AI or automation tools

E

No formal process / ad hoc

F

Other

How many hours does your team spend on EBP audit data work per engagement?

A

Less than 10 hours

B

10-30 hours

C

31-100 hours

D

More than 100 hours

How often do discrepancies in plan financials or participant data require rework during an EBP audit?

A

Rarely or never

B

Occasionally (1 in 5 engagements)

C

Regularly (1 in 3)

D

Frequently (more than half)

E

Almost every engagement

Which parts of an EBP audit engagement cause the most realization drag, fee write offs, or budget overruns? (Select upto 3)

Chasing PBC items from sponsors, payroll, and recordkeepers

Payroll to contribution reconciliation and deposit timeliness testing

Participant sample testing (eligibility, compensation, allocations)

Distribution, loan, and hardship withdrawal testing

SOC 1 review and CUEC mapping

Plan document and adoption agreement interpretation

Tying financials to Form 5500 Schedule H

Other

Workload and capacity

Has your firm turned down or delayed EBP audit engagements in the past 12 months due to capacity constraints?

A

Yes, turned down work

B

Yes, had to delay engagements

C

No, managed fine

D

Not applicable

How would you describe EBP audit season staffing pressure at your firm?

A

Significant - staff are consistently overloaded

B

Moderate - manageable but tight

C

Minimal - no real pressure

D

Not seasonal for us

If you could recover 30–50% of the time your team spends on EBP audit fieldwork, what would you do with it? (Select all that apply)

A

Take on more EBP clients

B

Reduce staff overtime

C

Improve audit quality and review depth

D

Expand into other service lines

E

Invest in training

F

Other

Technology and the road ahead

Has your firm evaluated or piloted any AI or automation tools specifically for EBP audit work?

A

Yes, currently using one

B

Yes, evaluated but didn't adapt

C

Aware but haven't explored

D

Not on our radar

How likely are you to adopt a purpose-built EBP audit automation tool in the next 12 months if it could cut the time spent reconciling plan financials and participant data by 50%?

Get your firm's personalised benchmark!

We'll send you a personalised cut of the 2026 EBP Audit Benchmarking Report, showing how firms your size compare on reconciliation time, error rates, and capacity pressure. Free, no strings attached.