First Audit Radar
States · Alabama

Alabama plans that need their first audit

15 retirement plans sponsored by Alabama employers filed Form 5500-SF for 2025 and ended the year with 121 or more participants with account balances. Under the 80-120 rule they start 2026 above the large-plan threshold, so plan year 2026 is generally their first audited year. That ranks Alabama number 31 of 53 states and territories on the current forecast list.

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15Alabama plans on the forecast list (14 are 401(k) plans)
59Alabama plans at 100-120 participants on the watch list
130median participants with balances at the end of 2025
$3.8mmedian net plan assets at the end of 2025
Industries

Who sponsors these plans

Industry of the plan sponsor (NAICS sector) for the 15 forecast plans in Alabama.

IndustryPlansShare
Health care427%
Accommodation & food213%
Other services213%
Professional services213%
Utilities17%
Construction17%
Where

Cities with several plans

Birmingham (4), Huntsville (2).

Already audited

New large plans

1 Alabama plans filed their first Form 5500 in the last season directly as large plans with an auditor's report. They show which firms win new plans from the start.

Auditor market

Who audits employee benefit plans in Alabama today

154 audit firms signed 797 audits of Alabama plans in the last complete filing year (Schedule H, plan year 2024). The largest by number of plan audits:

Audit firmPlan auditsShare in Alabama
Warren Averett, LLC14818.6%
Bmss, LLC607.5%
Black & Pinckard LLC567.0%
Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC405.0%
The Highlands Accounting Group, Inc384.8%
Smith, Dukes & Buckalew, LLP202.5%
Pearce, Bevill, Leesburg, Moore, PC202.5%
Wilkins Miller, LLC192.4%

Counted from the accountant firm name and EIN on Schedule H. Firms that merged during the year can appear under the old name.

Timing

Deadlines for the Alabama plans on the list

For calendar-year plans the first audited Form 5500 (plan year 2026) is due on 31 July 2027, or 15 October 2027 with a Form 5558 extension. Most sponsors engage their auditor after the plan year closes, so the window to introduce your firm is now through early 2027. How the audit requirement works.

The full Alabama list includes every forecast plan with sponsor, EIN, plan number, city, industry, participant trend, net assets and deadlines, plus the watch list and monthly updates. $290 per year for one state at the founding price, $990 nationwide, with a 30-day money-back guarantee. See pricing.

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