401(k) Plan Professionals
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
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.
401(k) Plan Professionals firmographics
Firmographics- 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
401(k) Plan Professionals industry classification
Industry- 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
Where 401(k) Plan Professionals is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
401(k) Plan Professionals business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- 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
401(k) Plan Professionals product offering
Product offeringCore 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.
Companies that use 401(k) Plan Professionals
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
401(k) Plan Professionals technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
401(k) Plan Professionals partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
33 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- T. Rowe PricecoreT. 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 InvestmentscoreFidelity'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 ManagementcoreMarta 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 InvestmentscoreEmily 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 ManagementcoreZach 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 FundsminorJohn 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 AdvisorsminorBill 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 AdministrationcoreThe 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)minorKris 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.
- BGMminorVicki Nelson, CPA of BGM, co-presented a 401(k) Audit Best Practices webinar alongside CLA, covering audit preparation and compliance best practices.
- Capital GroupminorSue Walton from Capital Group presented a What Women Want in Retirement webinar, covering research and recommendations specific to women investors.
- New York Life InvestmentsminorMike 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 InvestmentsminorDan Florina of Putnam Investments presented on engaging Millennial and Gen Z retirement plan participants, covering generational differences in saving behavior and engagement strategies.
- Franklin TempletonminorJacque Reardon from Franklin Templeton presented the Voice of the American Worker webinar, providing research and insights on worker attitudes toward retirement.
- Neuberger BermanminorKaren Drancik of Neuberger Berman presented on involving family members in financial planning and decision making, titled Anticipating the Unexpected.
- OneAmericaminorJennifer Jenkins, Director of National Tax Exempt Sales for OneAmerica, presented on common mistakes and remedies for 403(b) plans.
- Manulife John Hancock InvestmentscoreRon 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 TrustminorVal Ferrara from Wilmington Trust provided an overview of Collective Investment Trusts (CITs) for retirement plan sponsors.
- American Century InvestmentsminorJesse Daniels from American Century Investments presented on raising financially aware children, covering age-appropriate financial literacy strategies.
- PIMCOminorChristina Pihos, Head of Participant Engagement at PIMCO, presented research and recommendations specific to women investors in retirement.
- Prudential FinancialminorJessica Ruggles, wellness consultant with Prudential Financial, shared research on financial wellness and retirement readiness in the workplace.
- Empower RetirementminorTrish McGinity, Head of Cybersecurity Communications at Empower Retirement, presented cybersecurity best practices for protecting retirement accounts.
- Spangler & de Stefano, PLLPminorEvon 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 AgencyminorGenevieve Frazier with Maguire Agency co-presented the Minnesota Paid Family Medical Leave & Employment Law Update alongside Spangler & de Stefano, covering employment law updates.
- AscensusminorJennifer McElroy with Ascensus co-presented a 529 Plan Basics overview webinar, covering education savings account fundamentals.
- Retirement Advisor CouncilminorJessica 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, LLCcore401k 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.minorRetirement 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 HumanityminorRetirement plan sponsor client featured as a case study example in the Retirement Plan Design webinar.
- McGough ConstructionminorRetirement plan sponsor client featured as a case study example in the Retirement Plan Design webinar.
- Neon OneminorRetirement plan sponsor client featured as a case study example in the Retirement Plan Design webinar.
- Ascension PointminorRetirement plan sponsor client featured as a case study example in the Retirement Plan Design webinar.
- Minnesota Society of CPAs (MNCPA)minorRetirement plan sponsor client featured as a case study example in the Retirement Plan Design webinar.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
401(k) Plan Professionals competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad 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
401(k) Plan Professionals social profiles
Digital presence401(k) Plan Professionals compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
401(k) Plan Professionals financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
401(k) Plan Professionals leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
401(k) Plan Professionals funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
401(k) Plan Professionals M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about 401(k) Plan Professionals
What does 401(k) Plan Professionals do?
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.
Is 401(k) Plan Professionals a public or private company?
401(k) Plan Professionals is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was 401(k) Plan Professionals founded?
401(k) Plan Professionals was founded in 2007. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is 401(k) Plan Professionals based?
401(k) Plan Professionals is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does 401(k) Plan Professionals make money?
One revenue line is on record: investment Advisory Services.
Who are 401(k) Plan Professionals's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Empower Retirement, Mercer (Marsh McLennan), Aon Retirement Solutions, Principal Financial Group Retirement Services and OneDigital Retirement + Wealth. Direct peers are CAPTRUST, SageView Advisory Group, Wipfli Retirement Plan Advisors and NFP Retirement. Retirement Advisor Council member firms is listed as an others.
Does 401(k) Plan Professionals have an API?
No public API is recorded for 401(k) Plan Professionals.
What industry is 401(k) Plan Professionals in?
401(k) Plan Professionals's product category is Retirement Plan Advisory Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEABAE, Employer Retirement Plan Advisory (401(k)/Pension), with a secondary code of FSAAACAF, Corporate Retirement Plan Advisory RIAs (ERISA 401(k)/403(b)). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.