This course reviews the history of employee benefit plans in the United States, starting with the Social Security Act (FICA) of 1935 through ERISA of 1974 and the Pension Protection Act of 2006. The various kinds of benefit plans are described, including the defined benefit pension plan, defined contribution retirement plans, and health and welfare benefit plans. All the elements in the structure of a typical benefit plan are discussed, as are the important provisions of ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code. Employers must recognize the overfunded or underfunded status of a single employer defined benefit postretirement plan as an asset or liability and must recognize changes in that funded status in comprehensive income. This basic level course is most beneficial to professionals new to employee benefit plans accounting, but may also benefit an experienced professional with limited exposure to this topic.