Qualified Plans

What Qualified Plans does

Qualified Plans operates as FuturePlan by Ascensus, a national third-party administrator (TPA) headquartered in Savannah, Georgia, that delivers plan design, administration, actuarial, fiduciary, and compliance services for qualified retirement plans. The platform serves three primary customer segments: financial advisors (the dominant channel), plan sponsors (business owners and employers), and institutional partners (broker-dealers, recordkeepers, and financial institutions seeking co-branded or licensed solutions). Across more than 35,000 serviced plans and $101 billion in assets under administration, the company covers 401(k), defined benefit, cash balance, nonqualified deferred compensation, multiple employer plans (MEPs/PEPs), prevailing wage plans, and solo defined benefit plans, supported by 75+ enrolled actuaries and 470+ credentialed retirement professionals.

The technology stack is anchored by a cloud-based retirement plan administration platform with the my.FuturePlan client/advisor portal, a compliance management system, and a Fiduciary Assistant Payroll Data Integrity Check that reviews 100+ data points per pay period to surface contribution errors, loan issues, and eligibility problems. The 3(16) Fiduciary Services platform is delivered in three tiers (SimplySignature, SimplySecure, SimplySecureMore), enabling discrete levels of administrative and fiduciary delegation. The company has invested in producing proprietary education assets through the Cash Balance Coach and 3(16) Coach programs, which have trained 5,000+ advisors and serve as a funnel into plan sales.

Revenue is generated through professional service fees for plan administration and actuarial consulting, recurring subscription-like fees for 3(16) fiduciary services, and one-time fees for plan documentation, onboarding, and amendments. The go-to-market is a 60-strong direct field sales force covering all 50 states, layered with regional vice presidents, an inside sales desk, and an institutional sales team; channel partnerships with independent financial advisors and co-branding arrangements with major recordkeepers (Voya, Principal, Newport) extend reach. Operating since 1980 as part of Ascensus, the company has assembled its national footprint through seven disclosed acquisitions of specialist TPAs between 2017 and 2019, with each acquired brand retained as a sub-brand under the FuturePlan umbrella.

Name

Qualified Plans

Legal name

FuturePlan by Ascensus

Website

https://qplans.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Qualified Plans, operating as FuturePlan by Ascensus, is a national third-party administrator providing plan design, actuarial, 3(16) fiduciary, and compliance services for 35,000-plus qualified retirement plans across 401(k), defined benefit, cash balance, and PEP/MEP structures, serving financial advisors, plan sponsors, and institutional partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retirement Plan Administration and Actuarial Services

NAICS

Pharmacy Benefit Management and Other Third Party Administration of Insurance and Pension Funds (524292), Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds (5251), Pension Funds (525110)

SIC

Hospital & Medical Service Plans (6324)

akta.pro primary industry

Retirement Plan Participant Advice & Managed Accounts (FSAEABAF)

Keywords

• Retirement plan administration
• Actuarial consulting services
• Cash balance plans
• Fiduciary services
• Defined benefit plans

Headquarters

HQ city

Savannah

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retirement Plan Administration Services: FuturePlan provides end-to-end retirement plan administration services including plan design, actuarial services, compliance testing, Form 5500 preparation, and ongoing plan management. Revenue is generated through professional service fees for plan administration, typically billed on a per-plan or flat fee basis.
2. 3(16) Fiduciary Services: Tiered fiduciary services (SimplySignature, SimplySecure, SimplySecureMore) providing varying levels of administrative support and fiduciary responsibility delegation. These services generate recurring revenue through ongoing service fees.
3. Actuarial Services: Annual valuations, funding calculations, pension filings, and compliance support for defined benefit and cash balance plans. Revenue generated through actuarial consulting fees.
4. Plan Documentation Services: Plan document preparation, amendments, restatements, and ongoing document maintenance services. Revenue generated through document service fees.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Qualified Plans (FuturePlan by Ascensus) is a third-party administrator that provides plan design, consultation, compliance, and administration services for qualified retirement plans including 401(k), cash balance, defined benefit, nonqualified deferred compensation, MEPs/PEPs, and prevailing wage plans, complemented by 3(16) fiduciary, actuarial, onboarding, and plan documentation services delivered through the my.FuturePlan portal.

Product overview

FuturePlan by Ascensus is a third-party administrator (TPA) offering a comprehensive suite of retirement plan solutions. The portfolio includes core plan types (Defined Contribution/401k, Cash Balance, Defined Benefit, Nonqualified Deferred Compensation, Group Retirement Plans/MEPs/PEPs, and Prevailing Wage Plans) complemented by service modules (3(16) Fiduciary Services, Actuarial Services, Plan Administration, Client Onboarding, and Plan Documentation). The offering is supported by the my.FuturePlan digital portal platform and includes proprietary training programs (Cash Balance Coach and 3(16) Coach). The company services over 33,500 plans with $101+ billion in assets under administration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Beneco: Prevailing wage retirement plan solutions for contractors, part of FuturePlan.
• INTAC-FuturePlan
• Cash Balance Coach
• 3(16) Coach

Products and services

• Defined Contribution Plans (401(k)) 401(k) and defined contribution retirement plans that help employers offer workplace retirement savings through employee deferrals, employer contributions, or both, for U.S. employers and plan sponsors.
• Cash Balance Plans IRS-qualified hybrid retirement plans combining the high contribution potential of defined benefit plans with the flexibility and portability of defined contribution plans, allowing higher age-based contributions for tax deferral, for business-owner clients and advisors.
• Defined Benefit Plans Traditional employer-funded pension plans designed to deliver predictable retirement benefits with significantly higher contribution potential than a 401(k) alone, for employers seeking predictable retirement outcomes.
• Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plans Executive benefit strategies allowing employers to provide future compensation to key employees with flexible design, timing, and payout structures beyond qualified plan limits, for employers sponsoring executive benefit programs.
• Group Retirement Plans (MEPs/PEPs) Multiple employer plans (MEPs) and pooled employer plans (PEPs) allowing multiple employers to participate in a single retirement plan for simplified administration and cost efficiencies, for mid- and large-market employers and institutional partners.
• Prevailing Wage Plans (Beneco) Retirement benefit structures designed for contractors to meet Davis-Bacon Act prevailing wage requirements while optimizing fringe benefit allocation, for public works contractors.
• 3(16) Fiduciary Services Fiduciary services assuming discretionary administrative decision-making tasks including Form 5500 signing, distribution approvals, loan management, eligibility calculations, and participant enrollment coordination, available in three tiers (SimplySignature, SimplySecure, SimplySecureMore), for plan sponsors and advisors.
• Actuarial Services Actuarial valuations, funding calculations, pension filings, compliance support, and risk management for defined benefit and cash balance plans, delivered by 75+ enrolled actuaries, for plan sponsors with DB and hybrid plan needs.
• Plan Administration Services End-to-end retirement plan administration including compliance testing, filings, Form 5500 preparation, contribution calculations, and ongoing regulatory oversight, for plan sponsors of qualified retirement plans.
• Client Onboarding Services Structured onboarding process guiding new plans, plan takeovers, or redesigns from agreement to operational readiness, including discovery, plan document preparation, and coordination with trustees and advisors, for new plan sponsors and transitions.
• Plan Documentation Plan document preparation, amendments, restatements, and ongoing maintenance ensuring documents remain accurate, aligned with plan operations, and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, for plan sponsors.
• my.FuturePlan Portal Client and advisor portal providing immediate access to key plan information, resources, action items, and relevant news from a central dashboard with single sign-on, for FuturePlan clients and their financial advisors.
• Cash Balance Coach Program Proprietary advisor training program providing strategies for incorporating cash balance plans into practices, with industry-leading education, interactive learning, and practical insights, for financial advisors.
• 3(16) Coach Program Advisor training program providing strategies for incorporating 3(16) fiduciary services into practices, including webinars, savings calculations, and educational resources, for financial advisors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8.5% greater plan participation and 14.8% higher deferral rates compared to bundled plans
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Voya FinancialcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFuturePlan launched PATH PEP (Pooled Employer Plan) in collaboration with Voya Financial, bringing institutional retirement capabilities to the mid- and large-market. The PEP offers open investment architecture and institutional governance.
• Principal Financial GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrincipal Financial Group collaborated with FuturePlan to meet heightened demand for pooled retirement plans. FuturePlan assumed administrative responsibilities for Principal EASE, Principal's largest Pooled Employer Plan by client count.
• AscensuscoreOthersFuturePlan is part of Ascensus, a leading retirement solutions provider. Ascensus was founded in 1980 and provides the enterprise capabilities, technology infrastructure, and scale that FuturePlan leverages.
• NewportminorOthersNewport is part of the Ascensus family, providing administrative services. Accessible through the Ascensus login portal.
• Provident Trust GroupminorOthersProvident Trust Group is part of the Ascensus family of companies, offering trust services.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Vestwell: Vestwell is a fintech retirement platform providing technology-driven 401(k), 403(b), and pooled employer plan administration to advisors and small/mid-market plan sponsors, representing a modern, lower-cost emerging alternative to traditional TPAs like FuturePlan.

Broad incumbents

• ADP Retirement Services: ADP Retirement Services is a major bundled retirement provider tightly integrated with ADP's payroll platform, competing with FuturePlan for small- and mid-market plan sponsors who value single-vendor payroll and benefits administration.
• Fidelity Workplace Investing: Fidelity Workplace Investing is one of the largest U.S. recordkeepers with bundled plan administration, investment, and participant services for plans of all sizes, representing a broad competitive threat to FuturePlan on the small- and mid-market.
• Principal Financial Group: Principal is a major bundled retirement provider and FuturePlan partner on Principal EASE PEP administration, offering recordkeeping, administration, and investment products to small- and large-market plans; competes with FuturePlan in the bundled space while partnering on pooled plan administration.
• Paychex Retirement Services: Paychex offers bundled 401(k) and retirement plan administration integrated with its payroll/HR platform, directly competing with FuturePlan in the small-business segment and increasingly in the mid-market.

Direct peers

• T. Rowe Price Retirement Plan Services: T. Rowe Price Retirement Plan Services is a major bundled recordkeeper and plan administrator serving small- to large-market plans with integrated investment, administration, and fiduciary capabilities, overlapping directly with FuturePlan's defined contribution, cash balance, and 3(16) offerings.
• Mercer: Mercer provides retirement consulting, actuarial, and third-party administration services to mid- and large-market plan sponsors, competing directly with FuturePlan in actuarial valuations, defined benefit administration, and institutional retirement solutions.
• Empower Retirement: Empower is one of the largest U.S. retirement plan recordkeepers and offers bundled 3(16)/3(21) fiduciary and administration services to plans of all sizes, directly competing with FuturePlan's unbundled TPA model across small/mid- and large-market segments.
• Aon: Aon's retirement practice delivers actuarial consulting, defined benefit/cash balance plan administration, and fiduciary services, overlapping with FuturePlan in pension actuarial services, retirement plan design, and institutional partner relationships.
• WTW (Willis Towers Watson): WTW provides retirement consulting, actuarial, and administration services to large employers, directly comparable to FuturePlan on defined benefit and cash balance administration, pension actuarial work, and pooled employer plan design.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/qualified-plans-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Subsidiaries7 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 Qualified Plans