East Windsor, CT – September 20, 2026
A standard, not a mandate: why the generally accepted deconversion file specifications work for everyone
Every year-end conversion peak tests the same thing: how cleanly data moves from the outgoing recordkeeper to the incoming one. When it moves well, the client barely notices. When it doesn't, everyone absorbs the rework.
That's the problem the EACH Roundtable – Conversion, Implementation, Data Mapping, and Payroll Integration set out to solve. For eleven years, member firms have built and maintained set specifications — a shared reference for the data an incoming recordkeeper would normally expect to receive from the incumbent.
This is a standard, not a mandate. In compliance with antitrust rules, individual firms agree to disagree with the standard to meet their own business objectives. The specifications don't dictate file layout, formats, or the values a field may take. They document a common baseline — nothing more.
The value is in the divergence. No two firms recordkeep identically, and the standard doesn't ask you to. What it does ask is simple: when your deconversion file departs from the baseline, say so. Communicating exactly where and how you differ is what reduces rework, keeps the process efficient on both sides, and makes the outcome predictable for the client.
They stay current because you keep them current. Over eleven years we've revised the specifications repeatedly to reflect industry evolution and the comments members send us — most recently to capture SECURE Act 2.0 mandates. The document is only as useful as the field experience behind it, which is why the next round of feedback matters now.
Version 6.5 (2026) reflects SECURE 2.0 Requirements. Major updates will allow you to better support the LTPT mandate, and the Roth catch-up contribution mandate for FICA wage earners over $150,000. We have also updated the communication protocol, and requirements for In-plan Roth Conversions.
Join us before the year-end peak. We're hosting a Teams meeting on Wednesday, October 1, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern to gather your input ahead of the 2026 year-end conversion season. Bring what's working, what isn't, and what the standard still misses.
