First Audit Radar
States · Maryland

Maryland plans that need their first audit

37 retirement plans sponsored by Maryland 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 Maryland number 19 of 53 states and territories on the current forecast list.

Download the free Maryland sample (PDF)Five forecast plans with sponsor names, the state count and auditor market shares. No sign-up.
37Maryland plans on the forecast list (37 are 401(k) plans)
124Maryland plans at 100-120 participants on the watch list
142median participants with balances at the end of 2025
$2.7mmedian net plan assets at the end of 2025
Industries

Who sponsors these plans

Industry of the plan sponsor (NAICS sector) for the 37 forecast plans in Maryland.

IndustryPlansShare
Professional services1130%
Transportation719%
Health care38%
Information38%
Manufacturing38%
Other services38%
Where

Cities with several plans

Bethesda (5), Rockville (3), Baltimore (3), Annapolis (2).

Already audited

New large plans

2 Maryland 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 Maryland today

258 audit firms signed 1,624 audits of Maryland plans in the last complete filing year (Schedule H, plan year 2024). The largest by number of plan audits:

Audit firmPlan auditsShare in Maryland
Cliftonlarsonallen LLP1096.7%
Sc&h Attest Services, P.C.915.6%
Ellin & Tucker643.9%
Novak Francella, LLC483.0%
Sb & Company, LLC472.9%
BDO USA, P.C.472.9%
Cohnreznick LLP442.7%
Aprio LLP432.6%

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 Maryland 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 Maryland 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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