AICPA, Department of Labor, state societies partner on small business seminar series.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefit Security Administration (EBSA) and the AICPA are launching local seminars to educate small business clients--particularly women business owners--on setting up and administering pension, health and other benefit plans. Regional offices of EBSA, state CPA societies and the AICPA will host the seminars, with the first seminar in Los Angeles on Oct. 20, 2005.

"Small businesses are the fastest-growing sector of the economy, with approximately 5.7 million firms in existence last year," said Arm L. Combs, EBSA's Assistant Secretary. "Our partnership with the accounting profession will help us educate small employers on starting and managing retirement programs."

The Los Angeles seminar will be hosted by EBSA's Los Angeles Regional Office and the California Society of Certified Public Accountants. The program will include training on how to set up a benefit plan for employees. CPAs and their clients may register for the Los Angeles seminar online at www.dol.gov/ebsa/.

This seminar series builds upon an established program called "Getting It Right--Know Your Fiduciary Responsibilities," another series of joint U.S. Department of Labor and AICPA seminars that educates employers and benefit plan administrators about their fiduciary responsibility with respect to their benefit plans.

For CPAs involved in this area, the AICPA established the Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center (www.aicpa.org/ebpaqc). In addition, the AICPA offers a series of tools and guidance for business owners as part of its national 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy program. These may be found at www.360financialliteracy.org (click on "Financial Topics"). Women business owners may find specific tools and resources at www.360financialliteracy.org/ women.

The DOL also provides educational materials on topics such as "Choosing a Retirement Solution for Your Small Business." These materials and more are featured on a dedicated Web page for retirement plan education. The publications and information on the upcoming seminars is available electronically at www.dol.gov/ ebsa or by calling 866/444-EBSA (3272). Other free publications concerning federal employee benefits law also are available on EBSA's Web site or by calling the toll-free number.