Executive Benefit Solutions

What Executive Benefit Solutions does

Executive Benefit Solutions (EBS) is a U.S. executive benefits consulting and plan administration firm founded in 1995 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with seven regional offices and a National Plan Administration Center. The firm designs, implements, and administers non-qualified executive compensation arrangements—including non-qualified deferred compensation (NQDC) plans, supplemental executive retirement plans (SERPs), split dollar life insurance, phantom stock and stock appreciation rights, restricted stock unit (RSU) deferral programs, Section 162 bonus plans, executive life and disability programs, and corporate-owned life insurance (COLI/ICOLI)—for nonprofit organizations, publicly traded companies, privately held businesses, and healthcare systems facing complex regulatory constraints such as Sections 409A, 162(m), and 457(f).

Its service model is consultant-led and bespoke: a four-step engagement process (fact-finding, plan design and analysis, implementation and documentation, ongoing administration and technical support) is delivered directly by managing directors and senior professionals rather than account executives. Ongoing plan administration runs on the map*benefits® cloud-based NQDC platform, supported by EBS's proprietary interactive financial modeling tools ("Modelers") used for plan design scenario testing and participant planning. EBS also offers securities and investment advisory services through Integrity Alliance, LLC (Member SIPC) and has affiliate relationships including My Financial Coach and an InsMark joint venture for advanced life insurance illustration. Pricing is engagement-based, with multi-year ongoing administration contracts layered on top of initial design work.

Name

Executive Benefit Solutions

Legal name

Executive Benefit Solutions, LLC

Website

https://executivebenefitsolutions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Executive Benefit Solutions is a Boston-based executive benefits consultancy that designs, implements, and administers non-qualified compensation plans for nonprofit organizations, publicly traded companies, privately held businesses, and healthcare systems across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Benefits Consulting & Plan Administration

NAICS

Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds (5251), Health and Welfare Funds (525120)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Benefits Administration & Total Rewards Outsourcing (BPACAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Employee Benefits Brokerage & Consulting (FSAEADAC), Benefits Administration (BPACAPAC)

Keywords

• Executive benefits consulting
• Nonqualified deferred compensation
• Supplemental executive retirement plans
• Split dollar life insurance
• Executive compensation advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Executive Benefits Consulting: Consulting fees for design and implementation of executive compensation and benefits programs including NQDC plans, SERPs, split dollar plans, phantom stock plans, and other executive benefit arrangements. Customized designs based on deep data-driven analyses.
2. Plan Administration Services: Ongoing plan administration and technical support for all programs including Split Dollar Plans, Long-Term Incentive Plans, SERPs, 162 Bonus Plans, Executive Life and Disability Programs, and Deferred Compensation Plans. Full-service administration system with technology platform.
3. Securities and Investment Advisory: Securities and investment advisory services offered through Integrity Alliance, LLC, Member SIPC.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Executive Benefit Solutions is a boutique consulting and plan administration firm that designs and manages nonqualified executive benefit programs (such as NQDC plans, SERPs, split dollar life insurance, phantom stock plans, RSU deferral programs, and executive life and disability programs) for nonprofits, publicly traded companies, privately held businesses, and healthcare organizations. Services span the full lifecycle — from fact-finding and plan design, through implementation and documentation, to ongoing plan administration powered by the cloud-based map*benefits® platform — combined with proprietary financial modeling tools and participant portals.

Product overview

Executive Benefit Solutions (EBS) offers a suite of executive compensation consulting services and administration solutions, not a single unified software product. The core offering consists of non-qualified deferred compensation (NQDC) plan administration powered by a cloud-based platform, supplemented by specialized plan design services including Split Dollar Life Insurance, RSU deferral programs, and long-term incentive plans (Performance Units Plans, Phantom Stock Plans, SARs). EBS also provides financial modeling tools (modelers), healthcare-specific benefit solutions, and educational resources. The administration platform includes participant and plan sponsor portals with real-time reporting, enrollment capabilities, and compliance tools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation (NQDC) Plan Administration Full-service administration of nonqualified deferred compensation plans, including enrollment, Section 409A compliance, participant recordkeeping, asset-liability reconciliation, and real-time reporting through a cloud-based technology platform. For executives, boards, and key talent of nonprofits, public companies, and privately held businesses seeking to defer and structure compensation beyond qualified plan limits.
• Split Dollar Life Insurance Programs Joint ownership arrangements between employer and employee of cash value life insurance policies, providing tax-advantaged supplemental savings, cost-effective life insurance benefits, and avoidance of the 21% excise tax for nonprofit organizations. For nonprofit and for-profit employers seeking supplemental executive life insurance benefits.
• Restricted Stock Unit (RSU) Deferral and Diversification Services Advisory and plan design services enabling executives to defer taxation on RSUs/PSUs, diversify holdings, and coordinate equity compensation with nonqualified deferred compensation plans for enhanced tax management. For executives at publicly traded companies holding RSUs/PSUs.
• Healthcare Executive Benefits Solutions Specialized benefits solutions for healthcare organizations including hospital systems, specialty practices, and academic medical centers, addressing nurse retention, physician compensation, and 457(f) compliance challenges. Includes the EBS Triad Plan for non-profit healthcare organizations facing 457(f) restrictions.
• Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERPs) Company-funded retirement benefit programs that enhance qualified plan benefits for executives, providing retirement income beyond traditional 401(k) limits. Designed and administered for executives of for-profit and nonprofit employers.
• Performance Units Plan (PUP) Long-term incentive plan structure providing greater flexibility than phantom stock or SAR plans, allowing custom performance criteria, dual metrics (company and individual/department), formula-based valuation, and tailored vesting schedules. For privately held businesses seeking synthetic equity that aligns key employees with shareholder outcomes.
• Phantom Stock Plans Synthetic equity arrangements granting phantom units that mirror company share value appreciation, enabling key employees to share in growth without diluting actual ownership. For closely held businesses and key employee retention without giving up equity.
• Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs) Equity alternative allowing employees to receive cash equal to the increase in company value from grant date, rewarding only the appreciation rather than full share value. For closely held businesses offering key-employee incentives without true share issuance.
• Corporate-Owned Life Insurance (COLI) / ICOLI Informal funding arrangements using corporate-owned life insurance to fund executive benefit obligations, including insurance company-owned life insurance (ICOLI) for enhanced yield and balance sheet improvement. For employers funding executive benefits on a tax-efficient basis.
• Section 162 Bonus Plans Deferred compensation arrangements designed to help publicly traded companies manage Section 162(m) deduction limitations on compensation exceeding $1 million. For publicly traded company executives and tax planning committees.
• Executive Life and Disability Programs Supplemental life and disability insurance coverage arrangements for highly compensated executives, including various forms of split-dollar, DBO (Death Benefit Only), and executive bonus programs. For executives of for-profit and nonprofit employers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Example: A 50-year-old executive deferring $250,000 RSUs to retirement at age 65 could see holdings worth $368,000 more than without deferral
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• My Financial CoachminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by EBS Managing Director Bill MacDonald, My Financial Coach provides unbiased financial planning on a fee-basis only and does not sell financial products. They use a digital platform to deliver a customized solution and provide 24/7 access to plans. MFC has assembled subject matter experts that can be engaged to help fill identified planning needs.
• map*benefits®coreTechnology or Integrationmap*benefits® is the cloud-based technology platform powering EBS's NQDC administration system. The platform has more than 20 years of cloud-based technology experience and provides the technology infrastructure for the full-service administration system with concierge administration team.
• InsMarkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInsMark and Executive Benefit Solutions formed a joint venture for advanced life insurance illustration and analysis capabilities.
• FutureSenseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDan Walter from FutureSense joined EBS's Don Curristan and Trevor Lattin for a live discussion on 'Trends for 2021: How Leading Organizations Design, Deliver and Defer Incentive Compensation Plans'. Both firms are experts in executive benefits and compensation.
• VisionLinkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint webinar partnership with VisionLink for '4 Keys to Incentive Compensation Success in an Uncertain Economy'. VisionLink and EBS have developed successful incentive compensation and executive benefit plans for hundreds of businesses over 20 years.
• The Corley CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEBS's Chris Rich appeared on The Corley Company's podcast 'I 501(c) You' to discuss deferred compensation for nonprofit board members. The podcast provides tools for nonprofit boards.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Compensia: Compensia is an executive compensation consulting firm advising technology, life sciences, and growth companies on equity and non-equity incentive plans. It overlaps directly with EBS in NQDC plan design, RSU/PSU advisory, and Section 162(m) planning for executive teams.
• Pearl Meyer & Partners: Pearl Meyer is a specialized executive compensation and benefits consulting firm serving public, private, and tax-exempt organizations. It is directly comparable to EBS because both firms operate as boutique specialists focused on NQDC, SERP, and executive incentive design rather than broad HR outsourcing.
• RLR Nolan Consulting: RLR Nolan Consulting is an executive benefits and compensation consulting practice serving mid-market and large employers. It is directly comparable to EBS's boutique specialization in non-qualified deferred compensation, SERPs, and split dollar life insurance arrangements.

Others

• InsMark: InsMark is a life insurance illustration and advanced planning software provider that formed a joint venture with EBS for life insurance analysis capabilities. It is adjacent rather than directly competing, supplying enabling technology for split dollar and COLI-based executive benefit plans EBS designs.

Broad incumbents

• Mercer: Mercer (a Marsh McLennan business) is a global consulting firm offering executive benefits advisory as part of its broader health and wealth practice. It competes with EBS for large enterprise NQDC and executive incentive plan engagements while leveraging broader Total Rewards and actuarial capabilities.
• Aon: Aon is a global professional services firm with substantial executive benefits and equity compensation consulting capabilities through its Radford business. It competes with EBS for enterprise executive comp mandates, although EBS competes more effectively at the mid-market and nonprofit specialty level.
• WTW (Willis Towers Watson): WTW is a global advisory firm with executive benefits and total rewards practices overlapping EBS's NQDC and SERP advisory offerings. It serves similar enterprise clients but operates at vastly greater scale across all HR/benefits domains.
• Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Arthur J. Gallagher is a global insurance brokerage and consulting firm that acquired Clark Consulting, where multiple EBS principals (Wyrtzen, Rich, Birdsell) previously worked. It competes with EBS in executive benefits consulting as part of a much broader benefits and risk-management portfolio.
• NFP (National Financial Partners): NFP acquired Compensation Resource Group, where EBS Managing Director MacDonald was a founder and where other EBS principals previously worked. NFP is a broad insurance and wealth management firm with executive benefits practices that overlap with EBS's specialty services.

Emerging players

• FutureSense: FutureSense is a specialized incentive compensation consulting firm that EBS has partnered with on joint webinars and thought-leadership content (e.g., 'Trends for 2021: How Leading Organizations Design, Deliver and Defer Incentive Compensation Plans'). It overlaps with EBS in incentive plan design while operating at smaller boutique scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EBSNational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/74254

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Executive Benefit Solutions