This document contains a final rule amending the regulations governing the circumstances under which small pension plans are exempt from the requirements to engage an independent qualified public accountant (IQPA) and to include a report of the accountant as part of the plan's annual report under Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA). These regulatory amendments provide a waiver of the IQPA annual examination and report requirements for employee benefit plans with fewer than 100 participants at the beginning of the plan year. The amendments being made by this final rule are designed to increase the security of assets in small pension plans by conditioning the waiver on enhanced disclosure of information to participants and beneficiaries and, in certain instances, improved fidelity bonding requirements. The amendments do not affect the waiver for small welfare plans (such as group health plans) under 29 CFR 2520.104-46. Conforming amendments are also being made to the simplified annual reporting requirements for small pension plans specified in 29 CFR 2520.104-41. These amendments affect participants and beneficiaries covered by small pension plans, sponsors and administrators of small pension plans, and providers of investment and administrative services to small pension plans.