Summary plan descriptions: Your secret weapon for achieving plan administration clarity
By Jessica Gonchar
30 March 2016

SPDs describe the provisions of the plan document in language that can be understood by average participants and their beneficiaries. Updating the SPD with a focus on helping those enrolled understand how the plan works can often uncover differences among the plan document, the employer's understanding of the plan, and how the plan is administered. Our clients have had such differences come to light a number of times as the result of revising SPD language, and the discrepancies were then able to be clarified. Revising or updating the SPD can be another strategy to add to Pizzano's expansive list.