Entertainment Industry 401k Plan

What Entertainment Industry 401k Plan does

The Entertainment Industry 401(k) Plan is a union-sponsored, multi-employer defined contribution retirement plan established in 1996 under ERISA to provide retirement benefits for daily hire and staff union members working in the U.S. entertainment industry. The plan serves approximately 28,000 participants nationwide through five core participating union locals — Directors Guild of America (DGA), International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians–CWA (NABET-CWA), and International Brotherhood of Teamsters — with participation mandated through collective bargaining agreements between unions and entertainment employers.

The plan operates a self-directed 401(k) administration platform comprising a member portal for 24/7 account access, phone-based member services, and payroll integration that accepts employer contributions remitted by production companies and payroll providers. Participants have access to approximately 25 investment options, including JPMorgan SmartRetirement Blend target-date funds (2025–2065 plus Income), Vanguard index funds, fixed income funds, and specialty funds. Core technology is administrative rather than proprietary; the plan transitioned from SmartRetirement Funds to SmartRetirement Blend Funds in 2021 to lower target-date fund management fees for participants.

The plan generates revenue from participant administrative fees — a $10 one-time enrollment fee plus monthly fees tiered from $1 (balances under $100) to $4 (balances of $500 or more), with a $2/quarter discount for participants electing email delivery. It operates as the retirement companion to the Entertainment Industry Flex Plan (health benefits) under the Entertainment Industry Benefit Plans umbrella, and is headquartered at 844 Seward Street, Los Angeles, CA. As an ERISA-governed plan, it is not externally funded or venture-backed; it is independently operated for the benefit of its union member participants.

Name

Entertainment Industry 401k Plan

Legal name

Entertainment Industry 401(k) Plan

Website

https://entind-401kplan.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Entertainment Industry 401(k) Plan is a union-sponsored ERISA retirement plan established in 1996, serving approximately 28,000 daily hire and staff union members in the U.S. entertainment industry through participating locals including DGA, IATSE, IBEW, NABET-CWA, and Teamsters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retirement Plan Administration

NAICS

Pension Funds (525110), Pension Funds (52511), Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds (5251)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Retirement & Pension Planning (401(k)/IRA) (FSAEAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

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

Keywords

• Retirement plan administration
• Union 401(k) services
• Self-directed retirement accounts
• Entertainment industry benefits
• Target-date fund options

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Administrative Fees: Monthly administrative fees based on account balance tier. Additional one-time enrollment fee of $10. Participants who elect email delivery receive a $2 quarterly discount on administrative fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Entertainment Industry 401(k) Plan is a self-directed, multi-employer defined contribution retirement plan that provides retirement savings vehicles for daily hire and staff union members working in the entertainment industry. Participation is established through collective bargaining agreements with participating union locals (DGA, IATSE, IBEW, NABET-CWA, Teamsters) and their signatory employers and payroll companies, with participants selecting from approximately 25 investment options including JPMorgan SmartRetirement Blend target-date funds, Vanguard index funds, fixed-income funds, and specialty funds.

Product overview

The Entertainment Industry 401(k) Plan is a self-directed retirement plan created in 1996 to provide benefits for union members in the entertainment industry. The plan serves as the retirement component of the Entertainment Industry Benefit Plans umbrella, which includes the companion Entertainment Industry Flex Plan for health benefits. Participants can choose from approximately 25 investment options including JPMorgan SmartRetirement Blend target-date funds, index funds from Vanguard, fixed income funds, and specialty funds. The plan offers a Member Portal for 24/7 account access, and members may set up payroll withholdings via phone through the Member Services Department. Administrative services and investment management are provided through institutional partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Entertainment Industry 401(k) Plan A self-directed 401(k) retirement plan providing retirement benefits for daily hire and staff Union Members working in the entertainment industry, offering multiple investment options including JPMorgan SmartRetirement Blend target-date funds, Vanguard index funds, fixed-income funds, and specialty funds. Established through collective bargaining agreements with DGA, IATSE, IBEW, NABET-CWA, and Teamsters.
• Entertainment Industry Flex Plan Companion health benefits plan under the Entertainment Industry Benefit Plans umbrella, providing healthcare benefits alongside the 401(k) retirement plan for entertainment industry union members.

Named customers5 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Directors Guild of America (DGA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDGA is a participating union local in the Entertainment Industry 401k Plan. DGA members are eligible to participate in the 401k plan for retirement benefits through their collective bargaining agreement.
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIATSE is a participating union local. Stage employees, moving picture technicians, artists and allied crafts workers can participate in the 401k plan for retirement benefits.
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIBEW broadcast technicians participate in the plan through various local chapters. The plan accepts contributions for IBEW members working in the entertainment industry.
• National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians - CWA (NABET-CWA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNABET-CWA broadcast employees and technicians participate in the plan through collective bargaining agreements in the broadcasting and cable television sector.
• International Brotherhood of TeamsterscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTeamsters movie drivers and theatrical workers participate through various local chapters across the country. Multiple locals participate including Local 399 in North Hollywood, Local 817 in Great Neck, and others.
• Entertainment Industry Flex PlancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Entertainment Industry 401(k) Plan is the companion plan to the Entertainment Industry Flex Plan (health benefits) under the Entertainment Industry Benefit Plans umbrella.
• JPMorgan Asset ManagementsupportingTechnology or IntegrationJPMorgan Asset Management provides SmartRetirement Blend Funds as investment options within the plan. The plan transitioned from SmartRetirement Funds to SmartRetirement Blend Funds in 2021 to reduce management fees on target date funds.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Fidelity Workplace Investing: Large retirement plan provider for corporate and tax-exempt 401(k) plans; comparable as a competitor offering self-directed 401(k) administration, investment lineups, and participant servicing infrastructure.
• Empower Retirement: Major retirement plan recordkeeper serving many multi-employer and Taft-Hartley plans; comparable as a competitor/recordkeeper for union-sponsored 401(k) plans at scale, though not niche to entertainment.
• JPMorgan Retirement Plan Services: Existing investment partner providing SmartRetirement Blend target-date funds; comparable as a large-scale retirement plan services and target-date fund provider used by similar union-sponsored plans.

Direct peers

• Motion Picture Industry Pension Plan: Multi-employer defined benefit pension plan serving motion picture industry workers; most directly comparable as a union-anchored retirement plan for the same entertainment vertical.
• IATSE National Pension Fund: National pension fund for IATSE stage employees and technicians across the US and Canada; directly comparable as a multi-employer retirement plan for the same union's members.
• Teamsters National 401(k) Plan: Teamsters-affiliated 401(k) savings plan for members across multiple industries; directly comparable as a union-sponsored multi-employer 401(k) serving Teamsters members including entertainment drivers and theatrical workers.
• SAG-AFTRA Health and Retirement Plans: SAG-AFTRA's combined health and retirement benefit plans for performers and broadcasters; directly comparable in serving entertainment industry union members with retirement benefits under a multi-employer structure.
• Entertainment Industry Flex Plan: Companion health benefits plan under the same Entertainment Industry Benefit Plans umbrella; comparable in participant base, distribution via union CBAs, and operational footprint.
• Writers Guild of America Health Fund: WGA's health and pension plans for screenwriters; directly comparable as a guild-sponsored multi-employer retirement plan for entertainment industry creative workers.
• Directors Guild of America - Producer Pension Plan: DGA's pension and health plans for directors and their teams; one of the partner unions of the Entertainment Industry 401k Plan and operates an adjacent retirement plan for overlapping membership.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/entertainment-industry-401

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Entertainment Industry 401k Plan