how far back can you go to file an amended 5500?

[Santo Gold]

Its January, 2023 and we realized that there was a minor mistake on the 2018 5500-S/F filing.  The client would like to file an amended 5500-S/F.  EFAST will only allow back to 2020. Can we still file an amended return for 2018 on a 2020 form, or is there no way to file an amended return at this late date?

Thank you

[C. B. Zeller]

EFAST2 FAQ https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/EBSA/about-ebsa/our-activities/resource-center/faqs/efast2-form-5500-processing.pdf

Quote

Q4a: How do I submit a Form 5500 or 5500-SF for a plan year 2019 or earlier?

EFAST2 supports three active form years: the current form year (2022) and the two prior form years
(2021 and 2020).

You must submit delinquent and/or amended Form 5500s and 5500-SFs electronically through EFAST2.
You cannot submit them on paper.

Use the current year (2022) forms, schedules, and instructions. You can use the correct plan year
schedules and instructions found on the Form 5500 Series page for the following schedules:
• Schedule B, SB, or MB (Actuarial Information)
• Schedule E (ESOP Annual Information)
• Schedule P (Annual Return of Fiduciary of Employee Benefit Trust)
• Schedule R (Retirement Plan Information)
• Schedule T (Qualified Pension Plan Coverage Information)
After completing the schedules, attach them to your submission as PDFs and tag them in your electronic
filing as “Other Attachments.”

For all delinquent or amended filings, you must indicate the plan year for which you are filing in the
appropriate space at the beginning of the form and/or schedules.

See also https://www.askebsa.dol.gov/FormSelector/

[Peter Gulia]

In 2019, I helped an administrator file twenty old years’ Form 5500 reports. EFAST worked.

I found it useful to begin with the oldest year, and proceed in chronological order. Doing so set a preceding year’s ending balance as the next year’s presumed opening balance.

[Santo Gold]

Thank you very much.  Appreciate the replies