Brokerage statement checklist for Form 5500-EZ
The source-record checklist a Solo 401(k) owner should assemble before preparing a Form 5500-EZ packet.
Summary
Before preparing Form 5500-EZ, collect the prior-year filed return, beginning and ending brokerage or custodian statements, contribution records, distribution records, participant-loan records, plan identity facts, and any final-year transfer or rollover proof. If the records do not reconcile, stop before filing rather than entering estimates.
A clean Form 5500-EZ packet starts from source records, not memory.
| Core statements | Beginning and ending plan assetsTie values to brokerage, custodian, trust, or account statements. |
|---|---|
| Activity records | Contributions, distributions, loansKeep annual totals and supporting documents separate. |
| Hard stop | Unreconciled recordsDo not guess values to meet a deadline. |
Records to collect first
Collect the prior-year Form 5500-EZ or annual passport, current-year beginning and ending statements, contribution records, distribution records, rollover or transfer records, participant-loan records, plan name, sponsor name, EIN, plan number, plan year, and final-year support if the plan terminated.
How to reconcile the packet
Start with prior-year ending assets, confirm current-year beginning assets, add contributions and rollovers, subtract distributions and fees, and compare the result against year-end statements after investment gains and losses. The goal is not to build a full accounting ledger; it is to catch obvious record mismatches before the signer files.
When the checklist is not enough
Use a qualified professional or official IRS/DOL instructions when records are missing, the filing is late or amended, hard-to-value assets are involved, loans may be in default, employee or controlled-group facts are uncertain, or an IRS/DOL notice has already arrived.
What Solo 5500 Desk prepares
Solo 5500 Desk turns the user-entered record facts into a Form 5500-EZ preparation packet, filing-method checklist, source notes, and annual passport. It does not transmit the return, value assets, operate the plan, or represent the sponsor.
Common questions
Which statement values matter most for Form 5500-EZ?
The beginning-of-year and end-of-year plan asset values matter most because they support the filing trigger, the asset lines, and the annual reconciliation.
Can I use estimates if my brokerage statement is not ready?
No. If the filing is required and the records are not ready, use the official extension path or professional help instead of filing guessed values.
What if last year's ending assets do not match this year's beginning assets?
Stop and reconcile the difference before preparing the return. It may reflect transfers, timing, prior-year errors, or missing plan records.
Check whether your Solo 401(k) fits first
Use the checker before preparing a packet if employee, late-filing, asset-threshold, or final-year facts are uncertain.
Open checkerRelated guides
Form 5500-EZ total assets from brokerage statements
A source-record guide for Solo 401(k) sponsors organizing year-end statements and combined one-participant plan assets.
Form 5500-EZ records checklist before filing
A pre-filing records checklist for Solo 401(k) sponsors who want a traceable Form 5500-EZ packet instead of guessed values.
Do I need to file Form 5500-EZ for my Solo 401(k)?
The direct filing test for one-participant plans: asset threshold, final year, deadline, and filing method.