Compare a summary plan description with the plan document
Key facts
- Human involvement
- YellowClose supervision
- How AI is used
- Table each benefit, eligibility rule and exclusion in the booklet against the plan section the lawyer identifies. Do not rewrite either document.
- What the lawyer must review
- ERISA § 102(a), 29 U.S.C. § 1022(a), requires a summary plan description that includes the information in subsection (b), is written to be understood by the average participant, and is sufficiently accurate and comprehensive to reasonably apprise participants and beneficiaries of their rights and obligations. Section 1022(b) lists what the summary must contain, including eligibility, the circumstances that may cause loss of benefits, and the claims procedure. A fiduciary must discharge duties in accordance with the plan documents to the extent they are consistent with ERISA (29 U.S.C. § 1104(a)(1)(D)). You resolve a mismatch by reading both documents. Do not treat the booklet as if it were the plan. Opinion 512 applies if a tool prepared the comparison.
- Written for / version
- United States versionUS
Who does what
| Role | What they do |
|---|---|
| Assistance | Potential support includes identifying points for review. Confirm the tool’s capability and permitted scope. |
| Lawyer | Set the scope, supervise the work closely, verify every part relied on, resolve omissions and exceptions, and approve the exact output. |
Checklist
- Confirm the output against the client’s instructions and the complete relevant source material, including omissions or contradictions.
- Resolve exceptions and record the responsible lawyer’s approval of the exact output and intended use.
Forms and precedents for this task
| Form or precedent | Kind | AI use | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| ERISA summary plan description statute checklist | Checklist | AI use Yellow | Checklist of the summary plan description contents in 29 U.S.C. § 1022. |
| ERISA summary plan description regulation checklist | Checklist | AI use Yellow | Checklist of summary plan description items in 29 CFR 2520.102-3. |
| Plan instrument and booklet comparison | Checklist | AI use Yellow | A side-by-side review of an ERISA plan instrument and its summary plan description. |
Signed-in accounts can read the full text of each one. All precedents.