Brief Case

Treas. Reg. § 301.6058-2

Required use of electronic form for filing requirements relating to information required in connection with certain plans of deferred compensation.
eCFR editorial change effective 2023-02-23 · current · last amended by T.D. 9972, 88 FR 11776, Feb. 23, 2023
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(a) Electronic-filing requirements under section 6058. A return required under section 6058 with respect to an employee benefit plan must be filed electronically if the filer is required by the Internal Revenue Code or regulations to file at least 10 returns during the calendar year that includes the first day of the plan year. The Commissioner may direct the type of electronic filing and may also exempt certain returns from the electronic requirements of this section through revenue procedures, publications, forms, instructions, or other guidance, including postings on the IRS.gov website. Returns filed electronically must be made in accordance with the applicable revenue procedures, publications, forms, instructions, or other guidance.
(b) Undue hardship. The Commissioner may waive the requirements of this section in cases of undue economic hardship. One principal factor in determining hardship will be the amount, if any, by which the cost of filing the return electronically in accordance with this section exceeds the cost of filing the return on paper. A request for a waiver must be made in accordance with applicable IRS revenue procedures, publications, forms, instructions, or other guidance, including postings to the IRS.gov website. The waiver request will specify the type of filing (that is, a return required under section 6058) and the period to which it applies.
(c) Failure to file. If a filer required to file a return under section 6058 fails to file the return on magnetic media when required to do so by this section, the filer is deemed to have failed to file the return. See section 6652(e) for the amount imposed for the failure to file a return required under section 6058. In determining whether there is reasonable cause for failure to file the return, § 301.6652-3(b) and rules similar to the rules in § 301.6724-1(c)(3)(ii) (regarding undue economic hardship related to filing information returns on magnetic media) will apply.
(d) Meaning of terms. The following definitions apply for purposes of this section.
(1) Magnetic media or electronic form. The terms magnetic media or electronic form mean any media or form permitted under applicable regulations, revenue procedures, or publications. These generally include electronic filing, as well as magnetic tape, tape cartridge, diskette, and other media specifically permitted under the applicable regulations, procedures, publications, forms, instructions, or other guidance.
(2) Return required under section 6058. The term return required under section 6058 means a return in the Form 5500 series (or its successor).
(3) Calculating the number of returns
(i) In general. For purposes of this section, a filer is required to file at least 10 returns if, during the calendar year that includes the first day of the plan year, the filer is required to file at least 10 returns of any type, including information returns (for example, Forms W-2 and Forms 1099), income tax returns, employment tax returns, and excise tax returns. See section 6011(e)(6), Application of numerical limitation to returns relating to deferred compensation plans.
(ii) Definition of filer. For purposes of this section, the term filer means the employer or employers maintaining the plan and the plan administrator within the meaning of section 414(g).
(iii) Special rules relating to calculating the number of returns. For purposes of applying paragraph (d)(3)(ii) of this section, the aggregation rules of section 414(b), (c), (m), and (o) will apply to a filer that is or includes an employer. Thus, for example, a filer that is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of section 414(b) must file the Form 5500 series electronically if the aggregate number of returns required to be filed by all members of the controlled group of corporations is at least 10 returns.
(e) Example. The following example illustrates the provisions of paragraph (d)(3) of this section:
(1) In 2024, Employer X (the plan sponsor and plan administrator of Plan A) is required to file 12 returns. The sole shareholder of X and his spouse are the only participants in Plan A. Employer X is required to file the following: one Form 1120, U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return; two Forms W-2, Wage and Tax Statement; one Form 940, Employer's Annual Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax Return; four Forms 941, Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return; one Form 945, Annual Return of Withheld Federal Income Tax; and two Forms 1099-DIV, Dividends and Distributions. Employer X is required to file one Form 5500-EZ. Plan A's plan year is the calendar year. Because Employer X is required to file at least 10 returns during the 2024 calendar year, the 2024 Form 5500-EZ must be filed electronically.
(2) [Reserved]
(f) Applicability date. This section is applicable for returns required to be filed under section 6058 for plan years that begin on or after January 1, 2024.
Source credit, amendments & notes

[T.D. 9695, 79 FR 58259, Sept. 29, 2014, as amended by T.D. 9972, 88 FR 11776, Feb. 23, 2023]

Treas. Reg. § 301.6058-2 — Required use of electronic form for filing requirements relating to information required in connection with certain plans of deferred compensation. · eCFR editorial change effective 2023-02-23 · https://pensionresource.website/EAMain?content=EAMain.Law&id=cfr26-301.6058-2&asof=2023-02-23 · printed Oct 16, 2026
On this page
  • (a) Electronic-filing requirements under section 6058.
  • (b) Undue hardship.
  • (c) Failure to file.
  • (d) Meaning of terms.
  • (e) Example.
  • (f) Applicability date.
Implements
I.R.C. § 6058 Information required in connection with certain plans of deferred compensation
Guidance addressing this section

No documents are primarily about this section.

Also cited in 6 other documents
IRS / Treasury
Final Rules
  • 88 FR 11754 Feb 23, 2023 — Electronic-Filing Requirements for Specified Returns and Other Documents
  • 79 FR 58256 Sep 29, 2014 — Employee Retirement Benefit Plan Returns Required on Magnetic Media
Proposed Rules
  • 86 FR 39910Proposed Jul 23, 2021 — Electronic-Filing Requirements for Specified Returns and Other Documents Comments due Sep 21, 2021 (a)(d)(3)
  • 78 FR 53704Proposed Aug 30, 2013 — Employee Retirement Benefit Plan Returns Required on Magnetic Media
Department of Labor (EBSA)
Proposed Rules
  • 86 FR 51488Proposed Sep 15, 2021 — Proposed Revision of Annual Information Return/Reports Comments due Nov 1, 2021
  • 81 FR 47534Proposed Jul 21, 2016 — Proposed Revision of Annual Information Return/Reports Comments due Oct 4, 2016

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Each row is a version of the text as published by the official source. Code dates are the edition/release point that first reflected the change; regulation dates are eCFR effective dates. The library checks the official sources automatically, so new versions appear here on their own; “run” opens the sync that recorded a version.

EffectiveThroughSourceAmended by
Apr 1, 2015Dec 18, 2016CFR 2016 annual edition (revised as of 2016-04-01) run 127T.D. 9695, 79 FR 58259, Sept. 29, 2014View
Dec 19, 2016Feb 22, 2023eCFR amendment effective 2016-12-19 run 26T.D. 9695, 79 FR 58259, Sept. 29, 2014View · Redline (sign in)
Feb 23, 2023currenteCFR editorial change effective 2023-02-23 run 2T.D. 9972, 88 FR 11776, Feb. 23, 2023View · Redline (sign in)
Provision-level history (blame)