Pension Planning Consultants

What Pension Planning Consultants does

Pension Planning Consultants, Inc. (PPC) is a privately-held Third Party Administrator (TPA) founded in 1971 and headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The company provides full-service administration and actuarial services for qualified retirement plans, including 401(k), 403(b), profit sharing, defined benefit, cash balance, 457, Multiple Employer Plans (MEPs), and nonqualified deferred compensation plans. PPC employs 7 actuaries alongside credentialed plan administrators and holds CEFEX Certification for Global Standard of Excellence in Industry Practices through the Centre for Fiduciary Excellence, validating conformity to ASPPA standards.

PPC's underlying technology stack centers on a TPA administration platform with a secure client portal (tpanavigator.com) and encrypted file-exchange system used by existing clients for census data and loan/distribution submission, supplemented by an Advisor Connect educational video library. PPC operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of U.S. Retirement & Benefits Partners and is currently undergoing a unified corporate rebrand to Daybright Financial. The company serves over 2,300 plan sponsors — employers, governmental and nonprofit entities, and small businesses — and supports its plan-sponsor clients through a partner network of financial advisors, CPAs, accountants, and ERISA attorneys who refer business to the firm.

The business model is B2B fee-for-service on a recurring annual basis, with pricing structured as custom quotes based on plan type, complexity, and service scope (annual administration, actuarial consulting, Form 5500 filing, QDRO processing, 3(16) fiduciary administration, and plan design/redesign). Distribution is sales-led, combining direct proposal-based sales with a deep referral channel through advisor and CPA partners who receive co-branding support, free educational materials, and accredited CE/CPE seminars. Fast Start 401(k) plans extend a self-serve/PLG-style entry point to small businesses with under 100 employees. PPC has no disclosed revenue and operates without outside private equity or venture capital ownership.

Name

Pension Planning Consultants

Legal name

Pension Planning Consultants, Inc.

Website

https://pensionplanningconsultants.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pension Planning Consultants (PPC) is a CEFEX-certified Third Party Administrator founded in 1971, providing full-service retirement plan administration, actuarial consulting, and compliance services to over 2,300 plan sponsors across the United States, with a focus on 401(k), 403(b), defined benefit, cash balance, 457, and MEP plans.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retirement Plan Administration

NAICS

Pharmacy Benefit Management and Other Third Party Administration of Insurance and Pension Funds (524292), Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds (5251)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Employee Benefit & Retirement Plan Trust Services (FSAAANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Employer Retirement Plan Advisory (401(k)/Pension) (FSAEABAE), Retirement Plan Participant Advice & Managed Accounts (FSAEABAF)

Keywords

• Retirement plan administration
• Actuarial consulting services
• Third party administration
• 401(k) plan services
• Defined benefit plans

Headquarters

HQ city

Albuquerque

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Third Party Administration Fees: PPC generates revenue through fees for retirement plan administration services including annual administration, actuarial consulting, plan design consultation, Form 5500 filing, loans and distributions, QDRO processing, corrective filings, plan terminations, and 3(16) administration services. Fees are likely structured per-plan or as a percentage of plan assets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pension Planning Consultants is a CEFEX-certified Third Party Administrator (TPA) providing full-service retirement plan administration and actuarial consulting for qualified plans including 401(k), 403(b), profit sharing, defined benefit, cash balance, 457, and multiple employer plans. The firm handles plan design, compliance testing, Form 5500 filings, loans and distributions, QDRO processing, and 3(16) administration services for plan sponsors across the United States.

Product overview

Pension Planning Consultants is a full-service CEFEX Certified Third Party Administrator (TPA) offering retirement plan administration and actuarial services. The company provides a comprehensive suite of qualified retirement plan products including 401(k), 403(b), Profit Sharing, Defined Benefit, Cash Balance, 457, Multiple Employer Plans (MEPs), and Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plans. Core administration services include actuarial consulting, Form 5500 filing, loans and distributions, QDRO processing, and 3(16) administration services. The company serves over 2,300 clients and specializes in plan design consultation, compliance testing, and helping business owners maximize contributions and tax deductions. The firm also offers Fast Start 401(k) packages for small businesses and CE credit seminars for advisors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 401(k) Retirement Plans Employer-sponsored qualified retirement plans allowing eligible employees to save and invest for retirement on a tax-deferred basis through payroll deductions. Available as Solo 401(k), Small and Large Employer 401(k), and Safe Harbor 401(k) plans for plan sponsors.
• 403(b) Retirement Plans Tax-sheltered annuity plans for employees of public schools, Code Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations, and certain ministers. Allows employees to contribute pre-tax or ROTH deferrals, administered by PPC on behalf of plan sponsors.
• Profit Sharing Plans Qualified retirement plans allowing companies to make discretionary employer contributions to help employees save for retirement. Contributions are tax-deductible and can be established for the preceding tax year, administered by PPC for plan sponsors.
• 457 Plans Nonqualified deferred-compensation plans available for state and local governmental employers as well as certain nongovernmental and nonprofit employers. Allows pre-tax or after-tax (ROTH) contributions with special catch-up provisions, administered by PPC.
• Defined Benefit Plans Qualified pension plans providing fixed, pre-established benefits for employees and owners at retirement. Allows tax-deferred investment growth and tax deductions based on targeted annual contributions, with options including Solo Owner Defined Benefit Plans.
• Cash Balance Plans IRS-classified Hybrid Defined Benefit Plans that define promised retirement benefits in terms of a stated account balance. Features guaranteed interest credits and individual account values with option for lifetime annuity or lump sum.
• Multiple Employer Plans (MEP) Retirement plans maintained by two or more unrelated employers, organized by a MEP sponsor who handles administrative duties and fiduciary liability. Includes Closed MEP, Open MEP, and Associational MEP options.
• Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plans
• Fast Start 401(k) Plans Pre-designed 401(k) packages for small businesses with up to 100 employees. Three options: Traditional 401(k) (No Employer Match), Auto Enroll 401(k) (3.5% Safe Harbor Match), and Basic Match 401(k) (4% Employer Match).
• Retirement Plan Review Analysis of existing retirement plans to evaluate if current plan design best suits client needs. Includes plan document restatement consultation and plan design/redesign services for plan sponsors.
• Actuarial Services Actuarial consulting services including annual funding target attainment percentage (AFTAP) certification, contribution calculations, and compliance with ERISA requirements. PPC employs 7 actuaries to deliver these services.
• Form 5500 Filing Services Annual filing services for Form 5500 and Form 8955-SSA for qualified retirement plans, including extension requests via Form 5558.
• 3(16) Administration Services Plan administrator fiduciary services relieving plan sponsors of certain administrative responsibilities and compliance obligations under ERISA Section 3(16).
• Loans & Distributions Processing Processing of participant loans and distribution requests including in-service withdrawals, hardship distributions, and required minimum distributions (RMDs).
• QDRO Services Qualified Domestic Relation Orders processing for divorce-related plan distributions.
• CE/CPE Credit Seminars Continuing education credit seminars for financial advisors and CPAs seeking CE or CPE credit hours. Fully accredited for in-person or virtual credit hours.

Quantifiable outcome

• Currently serving over 2,300 clients with retirement plan administration

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Retirement & Benefits Partners (Parent Company)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPPC is part of U.S. Retirement & Benefits Partners, a parent company unifying multiple firms under a rebranding initiative to Daybright Financial. This parent-subsidiary relationship provides strategic backing and resources for growth and operational support.
• Financial Advisors and CPAscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of financial advisors, accountants, and CPAs who refer their business clients to PPC for retirement plan administration services. These partners market PPC's services to their clients and receive co-branding support and educational materials.
• ERISA AttorneysminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPPC works with ERISA attorneys to help structure 457 plans and nonqualified deferred compensation plans, coordinating on plan legal frameworks and compliance requirements.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ascensus: One of the largest independent TPAs and retirement plan service providers in the U.S., administering 401(k), 403(b), MEP/PEP, and government plans. Directly comparable to PPC as a full-service TPA serving plan sponsors through advisor and direct channels.
• Paychex Retirement Services: Paychex's retirement division provides 401(k) plan administration, recordkeeping, and TPA services to small and mid-sized businesses. Comparable to PPC's SMB-focused 401(k) administration and Fast Start-style offerings, with deeper integrated payroll.
• Pentegra: Pentegra is a focused retirement services provider offering 401(k), 403(b), DB, and Cash Balance plan administration and fiduciary services. Closely matches PPC's services-led, CEFEX-style positioning for mid-sized plan sponsors.
• Alliance Benefit Group: Alliance Benefit Group is a mid-sized independent TPA providing 401(k), 403(b), DB, and Cash Balance plan administration. Closely comparable to PPC in scale, service mix, and reliance on financial advisor and CPA referral channels.

Broad incumbents

• Empower Retirement: Empower is one of the largest U.S. retirement plan recordkeepers and administrators, serving defined contribution, DB, and nonqualified plans. Overlaps with PPC across 401(k), DB, and Cash Balance administration, but at substantially greater scale and with proprietary recordkeeping technology.
• OneAmerica: OneAmerica provides retirement plan administration, recordkeeping, and annuities through its Employee Benefits division. Competes with PPC in mid-market plan administration, particularly for DB and Cash Balance plans, with a broader insurance and annuity product set.
• Fidelity Workplace Services: Fidelity is a top-tier retirement plan recordkeeper and administrator serving DC and DB plans of all sizes. Competes with PPC at the large end of the market and increasingly in mid-market 401(k) where bundled investment and administration offerings compress TPA economics.
• ADP Retirement Services: ADP provides 401(k) and SIMPLE plan administration tightly integrated with its payroll platform. Competes with PPC primarily in the small and mid-sized business segment where bundled payroll-plus-retirement offerings challenge PPC's Fast Start 401(k) product.
• Schwab Retirement Plan Services: Schwab provides 401(k) recordkeeping and administration for plans of all sizes. Competes with PPC across the SMB and mid-market segments, often winning on investment menu and participant experience rather than on actuarial/Cash Balance services.

Others

• American Retirement Association / ASPPA (industry body): ASPPA is the primary U.S. industry association for pension professionals and TPAs and the standards body behind CEFEX certification referenced by PPC. Included as a related ecosystem participant, not a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pension-planning-consultants-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pension Planning Consultants