Best Way To Access code and regs?

[Guest FREE401k]

We're evaluating our subscriptions and services and were curious about other TPAs' favorite ways to access the code and regs. It is available in lots of places, I know, some costly, some free, some easy to use, some hard. We want to find one great resource for this information and hopefully that will allow us to cull out some of our subscription services. We wondered which is the favorite out there in TV land. 99% of our work is 401(k) recordkeeping.

[R. Butler]

95% of the Regs we need are in Benefitslink. On those few occassions when we need a reg. we can't find here, we usually can get from a CPA we work with or from the Univ. of Kentucky's library.

[david rigby]

Federal regs can be found here: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfr-tab...ble-search.html I have not found this link to be very useful.

This link is usually more direct, but the link to regs 1.401 thru 1.440 is broken. http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfrhtml...6/26tab_00.html

US Code: http://uscode.house.gov/usc.htm

Internal Revenue Code: http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/26/

[MGB]

I have electronic access to nearly all of the services out there, but the one place that I initially go back to for every question is my desktop paper version (I happen to use CCH for that). The only time I use electronic is to search across multiple sources when I don't know where the information might be that I am looking for (which is necessary when PLRs, Notices, Rev. Rul., etc. are involved).

The inclusion of footnotes of prior amendments and having the regulations immediately follow the appropriate Code section just seems to be a better organizational structure than Code in one place, regulations elsewhere, etc. (And, of course, I can scribble in them and leave stickers of important pages.)

The only thing that is a little tough to deal with is proposed regulations because they put those in a separate book and are not so easily organized (although once you understand how to use "finding lists" they are pretty easy, too). Sometimes it is easy to miss that there is a proposed regulation associated with the Code section that you are looking at.

And....I still have a CCH looseleaf set of binders on my shelf which I also make use of when I need to have multiple things open in front of me at the same time. (Although we stopped the service, I can still use it for anything prior to 2001.)

[Steve72]

Personally, I love RIA Checkpoint. All the Regs, Rulings, PLRs, Code, the whole deal. Plus, it's web accessible.

Normal disclaimer: I am not in any way affiliated with RIA, except that I use their service.

[david rigby]

I agree with MGB's comments about using a paper copy of the code and regs.

But my forty-something eyes are having more trouble with that tiny print.

I also agree with comment by RButler that most of what you need (if reasonably current) can be accessed thru BenefitsLink.

[Kirk Maldonado]

I concur with Steve72. RIA Checkpoint has a lot of material that is hard to locate otherwise.

I also have no relationship with RIA, other than the fact that my firm subscribes to its services.

[MGB]

My main complaint with RIA, as well as nearly all of the services, is the complete, 100% lack of anything on accounting in their pension products. To me, that makes the service only providing 50% of what is needed to the professional.

Yes, they have pension accounting information, but it is a subset of their accounting packages. I.e., you have to pay for access to all accounting literature in order to just get the employee benefits portion. I have complained to RIA repeatedly about this for 15 years but it has gone on deaf ears.