The Benefit Practice

What The Benefit Practice does

The Benefit Practice is an independent, full-service retirement consulting firm founded in 2000 and headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, with additional offices in Thousand Oaks, California and Maitland, Florida. The firm specializes in the design, implementation, and ongoing management of retirement benefit programs for U.S. plan sponsors, supported by an in-house team of credentialed actuaries (FSA, ASA, EA) and ERISA attorneys led by co-founders and Managing Partners Peter M. Coleman and Lloyd A. Katz, each with 25-30+ years of retirement consulting experience. Core offerings include Defined Contribution Programs (Traditional 401(k), Safe Harbor 401(k), and Profit Sharing Plans), Defined Benefit Programs (Traditional Design, Variable Cash Balance, and the proprietary RiskFree Plan®), and 3(16) Fiduciary Services delivered in partnership with a nationally known compliance firm. Differentiated intellectual property is concentrated in the RiskFree Plan®, a registered defined benefit design that adjusts annual benefits based on actual plan returns to eliminate contribution volatility, and in case-study methodologies (Small Firm Perfect Plan, Partnership Plan, Prescription for Success) targeting tax-advantaged outcomes for high-income business owners.

The firm generates revenue through professional services fees for customized plan design, actuarial services, compliance support, and fiduciary administration, with no public pricing or revenue disclosures available. Go-to-market is a consultative, referral-led motion targeting three primary buyer personas: business owners and entrepreneurs seeking to maximize tax-deductible contributions, financial advisors/RIA practices needing actuarial and plan design expertise for their clients, and CPAs and attorneys serving as trusted referral partners. Channel reach is reinforced by structured educational programs—Retirement Master Classes for advisors, The Coffee Meet℠ for CPA/attorney firms, and The Sounding Board℠ quick-answer advisory service—which double as lead generation and channel lock-in. The customer base spans 11-50 employees, mid-market, and enterprise segments across financial services, hospitality, manufacturing, architecture, and investment management (e.g., FTV Capital, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Sleepy Hollow Country Club, New York Athletic Club, Moon Capital Management). The firm is privately held with no external investment, M&A activity, or capital markets event disclosed.

Name

The Benefit Practice

Legal name

The Benefit Practice

Website

https://benefitpractice.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Benefit Practice is an independent U.S. retirement consulting firm that designs and manages Defined Contribution, Defined Benefit (including its proprietary RiskFree Plan®), and 3(16) fiduciary services for plan sponsors, financial advisors, and CPA/attorney referral networks from offices in Connecticut, California, and Florida.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retirement Plan Consulting and Actuarial Services

NAICS

Trust, Fiduciary, and Custody Activities (523991), Pension Funds (52511)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Employee Benefits Brokerage & Consulting (FSAEADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Benefits Administration & Total Rewards Outsourcing (BPACAKAE), Employee Benefit & Retirement Plan Trust Services (FSAAANAC)

Keywords

• Retirement plan consulting
• Defined benefit plans
• Defined contribution programs
• Actuarial services
• ERISA fiduciary services

Headquarters

HQ city

Stamford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retirement Plan Consulting Services: The company generates revenue through consulting fees for retirement plan design, actuarial services, and implementation. Services include Defined Contribution programs, Defined Benefit programs, and 3(16) fiduciary services. The firm works with plan sponsors to design customized retirement benefit programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Benefit Practice is a full-service, independent retirement consulting firm that designs, implements, and administers retirement benefits programs for organizations. Core offerings include Defined Contribution Programs (Traditional 401(k), Safe Harbor 401(k), Profit Sharing Plans), Defined Benefit Programs including the proprietary RiskFree Plan®, and 3(16) Fiduciary Services for outsourcing ERISA plan administration responsibilities. The firm serves as an independent third party, working with financial advisors, CPAs, and attorneys who serve business owner clients.

Product overview

The Benefit Practice is a full-service, independent retirement consulting firm offering a portfolio of retirement benefit solutions. The core offerings consist of Defined Contribution Programs (Traditional 401(k), Safe Harbor 401(k), and Profit Sharing Plans) and Defined Benefit Programs (Traditional Design, Variable Cash Balance, and the proprietary RiskFree Plan®). These are complemented by ancillary services including 3(16) Fiduciary Services for plan administration outsourcing, The Coffee Meet™ educational sessions for CPAs and attorneys, Retirement Master Classes for financial advisors, and The Sounding Board™ advisory service. The firm also provides Case Studies demonstrating their plan design approach. The integrated approach allows The Benefit Practice to serve organizations of all sizes with customized retirement solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RiskFree Plan®: A defined benefit plan that eliminates the need to make increased plan contributions when investments perform poorly. Benefits are adjusted annually based on the plan's actual rate of return.
• The Coffee Meet℠
• The Sounding Board℠

Products and services

• Defined Contribution Programs Flexible retirement benefit programs including Traditional 401(k) Plans, Safe Harbor 401(k) Plans, and Profit Sharing Plans, serving as the centerpiece of most retirement benefit packages for organizations.
• Defined Benefit Programs Tax-advantaged retirement plans including Traditional Design, Variable Cash Balance Plan, and the proprietary RiskFree Plan® that eliminates investment risk through benefit adjustments based on actual rate of return.
• RiskFree Plan® A proprietary defined benefit plan design that eliminates the need for increased plan contributions when investments perform poorly by adjusting benefits annually based on the plan's actual rate of return.
• 3(16) Fiduciary Services Outsourcing of ERISA plan administrator fiduciary responsibilities, including plan document maintenance, Form 5500 signing, eligibility monitoring, loans and distributions oversight, and compliance reporting.
• The Coffee Meet™ One-hour educational meetings for CPAs and attorneys to discuss recent pension law changes and new retirement plan designs, helping financial advisors stay connected with their clients' trusted advisors.
• Retirement Master Classes Ongoing seminar series for financial advisors covering Advanced Prospecting, Creative Plan Designs, and Thinking Outside the Box modules to develop retirement program skills.
• The Sounding Board™ Service Quick-answer advisory service staffed by experienced actuaries, defined contribution consultants, and ERISA attorneys for financial advisors, attorneys, and CPAs seeking complex retirement plan guidance.

Quantifiable outcome

• High-wage earners can shelter over $1,000,000 in combined 401(k)/profit sharing/defined benefit contributions
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Financial Advisors NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Benefit Practice works closely with financial advisors from various investment firms as an independent third party to retirement plans. They provide consulting services that help advisors pursue leads and service clients, positioning themselves as a partner rather than a competitor to advisors.
• Nationally Known Compliance Firm (Unnamed)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFor 3(16) fiduciary services, The Benefit Practice has partnered with a nationally known compliance firm that specializes in providing plan sponsors with 3(16) fiduciary coverage including plan document maintenance, Form 5500 signing, fiduciary committee charter establishment, and compliance monitoring.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Milliman: Global actuarial and consulting firm with a large retirement plan practice providing defined benefit and defined contribution consulting; closely comparable on actuarial capability and plan design expertise.
• CAPTRUST: Independent retirement plan advisory firm focused on plan design, fiduciary support, and investment advice for mid- to large-employer plans; competes directly for advisor-sourced plan sponsor mandates.
• SageView Advisory: Mid-market retirement plan consulting firm serving closely-held businesses and advisors with plan design, actuarial, and investment advisory services — the closest size and GTM comparable to The Benefit Practice.
• OneDigital: Mid-market-focused benefits, retirement, and HR consulting firm combining consulting, brokerage, and actuarial capabilities; directly comparable client segment and integrated offering.
• Newport (retirement consulting): Retirement plan consulting, design, and administration provider serving mid- and large-market plan sponsors; directly comparable in plan design and fiduciary services offerings.
• CBIZ Retirement Plan Services: Mid-market benefits and retirement plan consulting division of CBIZ; serves closely-held and middle-market employers with 401(k), profit sharing, and actuarial services — directly overlapping in client segment.

Broad incumbents

• Lockton Retirement Services: Major independent insurance brokerage with a substantial retirement consulting practice; provides plan design, actuarial, and fiduciary services to mid- and large-market employers as part of a broader benefits portfolio.
• Aon Retirement Solutions: Global consulting and brokerage firm with a large retirement consulting arm offering actuarial, defined benefit/defined contribution design, and risk management; broad incumbent competitor.
• Willis Towers Watson: Global advisory firm with a major U.S. retirement practice covering actuarial, plan design, and benefits administration; competes for larger plan sponsor mandates as a broad incumbent.
• Mercer (US Retirement Practice): Global HR and benefits consultancy with a deep U.S. retirement and actuarial consulting practice; competes for the same plan sponsor RFPs at the mid-market and enterprise tiers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/The-Benefit-Practice-103242686408425
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-benefit-practice

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 The Benefit Practice