401(k) Plan Professionals

What 401(k) Plan Professionals does

401(k) Plan Professionals is a women-owned retirement plan advisory firm headquartered in Edina, Minnesota, operating as a DBA under Global Retirement Partners, LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor. The firm provides fiduciary advisory services to organizations sponsoring 401(k) and 403(b) retirement plans, serving as a named fiduciary alongside employer plan committees. Its core offerings include plan design consulting, investment due diligence and monitoring, fee benchmarking, regulatory compliance support covering SECURE 2.0 and state mandates, and participant financial wellness education.

The company delivers these services through a four-advisor team (Jessica Ballin, Gina Buchholz, Jenna Witherbee, Virginia Ryan) and an extensive educational content platform comprising live and on-demand webinars, a three-tier Fiduciary Training Series, the 8 Steps to Financial Wellness participant video series, and an annual in-person Fiduciary Summit in its 13th year. The firm has also introduced the 401k Collective, a Pooled Employer Plan that allows unrelated employers to share administrative responsibilities and reduce plan costs by an estimated 30-40%.

Revenue is generated through advisory fees associated with plan assets under management or advisement, with new client acquisition driven by educational content marketing, referral networks, the annual Fiduciary Summit, and co-marketing partnerships with major asset managers including T. Rowe Price, Fidelity, JPMorgan Asset Management, Manulife John Hancock, and MFS. The firm is WBENC-certified as a women-owned business and serves retirement plan sponsors primarily in the U.S. Midwest, with a broader U.S. footprint.

Name

401(k) Plan Professionals

Legal name

Global Retirement Partners, LLC

Website

https://401kplanprofessionals.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

401(k) Plan Professionals is a women-owned, Edina, Minnesota-based retirement plan advisory firm that serves as a named fiduciary to 401(k) and 403(b) plan sponsors through a four-advisor team, offering plan design, investment oversight, fee benchmarking, and participant education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retirement Plan Advisory Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Pension Funds (52511)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Employer Retirement Plan Advisory (401(k)/Pension) (FSAEABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Retirement Plan Advisory RIAs (ERISA 401(k)/403(b)) (FSAAACAF), Workplace Wealth & Employee Investing Programs (FSAAAAAK), Retirement & Pension Planning (401(k)/IRA) (FSAEAAAD)

Keywords

• Retirement plan advisory
• 401(k) plan consulting
• Fiduciary advisory services
• Defined contribution plans
• Plan sponsor consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Investment Advisory Services: The company operates as an SEC registered investment advisor (Global Retirement Partners, LLC dba 401k Plan Professionals) providing fiduciary advisory services to retirement plan sponsors. Revenue is generated through advisory fees associated with plan assets under management or advisement.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

401(k) Plan Professionals is a women-owned retirement plan advisory firm based in Edina, MN, providing fiduciary advisory and consulting services to plan sponsors. The firm assists employers in designing, managing, and administering qualified retirement plans such as 401(k) and 403(b) offerings. Their core work centers on helping plan sponsors meet their fiduciary duties and improve participant outcomes.

Product overview

401(k) Plan Professionals offers a unified advisory and educational platform for retirement plan sponsors and participants. The core offering consists of retirement plan advisory services where the team serves as a fiduciary alongside employer plan committees. Supporting this core service are educational programs including the Fiduciary Training Series (with 101, 201, and 301 levels), the 8 Steps to Financial Wellness participant video series, and an on-demand webinar library covering topics from Social Security and Medicare to market intelligence and plan design. The firm also offers the 401k Collective PEP (Pooled Employer Plan) for employers seeking a professionally managed 401(k) with reduced administrative burden. Annual in-person Fiduciary Summits complement the digital educational content. The company is a women-owned business and SEC registered investment advisor operating through Global Retirement Partners, LLC.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Retirement Plan Advisory Services

Quantifiable outcome

• The company has been named to the NAPA Top DC Advisor Teams list and multiple individual advisors have been recognized on the NAPA Top Women Advisors list consistently from 2015 through 2025.

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

33 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• T. Rowe PricecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerT. Rowe Price partnered with 401k Plan Professionals for a joint webinar on private assets in retirement plans (June 2026). Eric Milano, Regional Investment Consultant with T. Rowe Price, served as guest presenter for this 30-minute educational webinar for retirement plan sponsors. The partnership provides educational content drawing on T. Rowe Price's investment research.
• Fidelity InvestmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFidelity's Customer Protection Center of Excellence, led by David Schneier, partnered for a CyberWellness for Retirement Plan Sponsors webinar (May 2026). Fidelity clients of 401k Plan Professionals receive complimentary Cyber Assessments through the partnership. Fidelity provides cybersecurity expertise and risk assessment tools.
• JPMorgan Asset ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarta Rodriguez, CFA with JPMorgan Asset Management, provides regular economic and market update webinars (January and April 2026) as a guest presenter. Partnership provides market intelligence content for both plan sponsors and participants.
• Manulife John Hancock InvestmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmily Roland, Co-Chief Investment Strategist at Manulife John Hancock Investments, provides annual market intelligence updates and retirement planning considerations webinars. The partnership delivers investment strategy content and market outlook analysis.
• MFS Investment ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZach Lindsay and Jack Wood of MFS Investment Management co-present annual Social Security 101 webinars with 401k Plan Professional advisors. Partnership focuses on participant and sponsor education around Social Security benefits.
• Hartford FundsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohn Diehl, Senior Vice President of Applied Insights at Hartford Funds, partnered on an 8,000 Days of Retirement webinar (May 2025), backed by MIT AgeLab research, covering longevity and retirement planning.
• Thrive Student Loan AdvisorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBill Harmon, Beth Krasnow, and Aaron Longino of Thrive presented on navigating federal student loans in 2025, including IDR plans, forbearance, forgiveness programs, and the Buyback program.
• Social Security AdministrationcoreOthersThe Social Security Administration (presenters: Rhonda Whitenack, Robert Fenn, Brian Rudolph) collaborates on annual Social Security 101 webinars, providing authoritative information on benefit calculations, spousal benefits, and survivor benefits.
• CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerKris Tveit, CPA of CLA, co-presented a 401(k) Audit Best Practices webinar, covering tips for preparing for audits, cybersecurity concerns, and best practices for retirement plan sponsors.
• BGMminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVicki Nelson, CPA of BGM, co-presented a 401(k) Audit Best Practices webinar alongside CLA, covering audit preparation and compliance best practices.
• Capital GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSue Walton from Capital Group presented a What Women Want in Retirement webinar, covering research and recommendations specific to women investors.
• New York Life InvestmentsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMike LoGalbo, CFA from New York Life Investments Global Market Strategies team presented post-presidential election market considerations. Fred Spreen from New York Life also presented on Stable Value Funds.
• Putnam InvestmentsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDan Florina of Putnam Investments presented on engaging Millennial and Gen Z retirement plan participants, covering generational differences in saving behavior and engagement strategies.
• Franklin TempletonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJacque Reardon from Franklin Templeton presented the Voice of the American Worker webinar, providing research and insights on worker attitudes toward retirement.
• Neuberger BermanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKaren Drancik of Neuberger Berman presented on involving family members in financial planning and decision making, titled Anticipating the Unexpected.
• OneAmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJennifer Jenkins, Director of National Tax Exempt Sales for OneAmerica, presented on common mistakes and remedies for 403(b) plans.
• Manulife John Hancock InvestmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRon Bezis from John Hancock Investment Management hosts annual Medicare 101 webinars, covering Medicare history, parts, enrollment, costs, Medigap, Medicare Advantage, and working past age 65.
• Wilmington TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVal Ferrara from Wilmington Trust provided an overview of Collective Investment Trusts (CITs) for retirement plan sponsors.
• American Century InvestmentsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJesse Daniels from American Century Investments presented on raising financially aware children, covering age-appropriate financial literacy strategies.
• PIMCOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChristina Pihos, Head of Participant Engagement at PIMCO, presented research and recommendations specific to women investors in retirement.
• Prudential FinancialminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJessica Ruggles, wellness consultant with Prudential Financial, shared research on financial wellness and retirement readiness in the workplace.
• Empower RetirementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrish McGinity, Head of Cybersecurity Communications at Empower Retirement, presented cybersecurity best practices for protecting retirement accounts.
• Spangler & de Stefano, PLLPminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEvon Spangler with Spangler & de Stefano, PLLP co-presented the Minnesota Paid Family Medical Leave & Employment Law Update (September 2025), providing guidance on new PFML regulations effective January 2026.
• Maguire AgencyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGenevieve Frazier with Maguire Agency co-presented the Minnesota Paid Family Medical Leave & Employment Law Update alongside Spangler & de Stefano, covering employment law updates.
• AscensusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJennifer McElroy with Ascensus co-presented a 529 Plan Basics overview webinar, covering education savings account fundamentals.
• Retirement Advisor CouncilminorOthersJessica Ballin serves a 2-year term as a member of the Retirement Advisor Council, advocating for holistic financial and retirement education for plan participants and sponsors.
• Global Retirement Partners, LLCcoreOthers401k Plan Professionals operates as a dba under Global Retirement Partners, LLC, an SEC registered investment advisor. This is the parent/holding entity for the advisory business.
• MAHUBE-OTWA Community Action Partnership, Inc.minorOthersRetirement plan sponsor client featured as a case study example in the Retirement Plan Design webinar illustrating positive outcomes from strategic plan design decisions.
• Twin Cities Habitat for HumanityminorOthersRetirement plan sponsor client featured as a case study example in the Retirement Plan Design webinar.
• McGough ConstructionminorOthersRetirement plan sponsor client featured as a case study example in the Retirement Plan Design webinar.
• Neon OneminorOthersRetirement plan sponsor client featured as a case study example in the Retirement Plan Design webinar.
• Ascension PointminorOthersRetirement plan sponsor client featured as a case study example in the Retirement Plan Design webinar.
• Minnesota Society of CPAs (MNCPA)minorOthersRetirement plan sponsor client featured as a case study example in the Retirement Plan Design webinar.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Empower Retirement: One of the largest U.S. retirement plan recordkeepers (via Empower and legacy Prudential/Empower businesses) that also provides bundled advisor and fiduciary services to plan sponsors. Represents the recordkeeper-as-advisor model competing with independent 3(21)/3(38) fiduciaries.
• Mercer (Marsh McLennan): Global benefits consulting firm offering retirement plan advisory, actuarial, and investment consulting for large plan sponsors. Represents the incumbent consulting channel that competes with independent retirement advisors for larger plan relationships.
• Aon Retirement Solutions: Global professional services firm providing retirement plan consulting, actuarial, and investment advisory to large corporate and public sector plan sponsors. Competes with independent advisors in the upper end of the retirement advisory market.
• Principal Financial Group Retirement Services: National recordkeeper and retirement plan services provider offering bundled advisor services, investment options, and plan administration. Represents the incumbent recordkeeper-channel competitor that bundles advisory with recordkeeping for plan sponsors.
• OneDigital Retirement + Wealth: National benefits and retirement advisory firm offering retirement plan consulting as part of a broader employee benefits and wealth management platform. Competes for mid-market plan sponsors seeking integrated benefits and retirement advisory services.

Direct peers

• CAPTRUST: One of the largest independent retirement plan advisory firms in the U.S., providing fiduciary 401(k) and 403(b) advisory services to plan sponsors. CAPTRUST is a direct competitor in the retirement plan advisory space and is regularly ranked on the NAPA Top DC Advisor Teams list, making it the most comparable firm in scale and scope.
• SageView Advisory Group: Independent retirement plan advisory firm serving plan sponsors with fiduciary consulting, investment advisory, and participant services for 401(k), 403(b), and defined benefit plans. A frequent NAPA Top DC Advisor Teams honoree and direct competitor for mid-market plan sponsor relationships.
• Wipfli Retirement Plan Advisors: Accounting and advisory firm providing 401(k)/403(b) retirement plan advisory, plan design, and fiduciary services, particularly to non-profit, governmental, and mid-market corporate plan sponsors. Comparable in target market and regional/mid-market positioning.
• NFP Retirement: Retirement plan advisory practice within NFP, a national insurance brokerage and advisory firm. Provides 401(k)/403(b) plan advisory, fiduciary services, and plan design to corporate and non-profit sponsors, competing head-to-head with smaller specialized retirement advisors.

Others

• Retirement Advisor Council member firms: The Retirement Advisor Council is an industry association of retirement plan advisory firms; Jessica Ballin serves on its board. The council's member firms (e.g., Cammack Retirement Group, CWA Retirement) represent comparable independent practices of similar size and specialization.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/401kplanprofessionals
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/401k-plan-professionals

Compliance2 records

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 401(k) Plan Professionals