The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) maintains a program known as the Employee Plans Team Audit (EPTA) program, under which random audits are used to discover, and remedy, common plan problems and mistakes, and to assist retirement plan sponsors and administrators in identifying those issues. Recently, the IRS updated its list of "common plan mistakes" that have been found during EPTA audits, as well as a sample of a questionnaire used by EPTA auditors to test the system of internal controls utilized by a plan. The EPTA Program is designed to deal with large retirement plans, i.e., those covering at least 2,500 participants, but having an insight into the EPTA procedures enables administrators of plans of all sizes to avoid most common errors in plan administration. The EPTA materials can also be utilized to develop and conduct self-audits and to correct any mistakes thereby identified.

The IRS has offered tips on how to identify – and avoid – the mistakes that are most frequently found by EPTA auditors.