Pinnacle Plan Design
Pinnacle Plan Design is a privately held Arizona-based third-party administrator providing qualified retirement plan design, administration, and actuarial consulting to nearly 2,000 closely-held businesses nationwide, with deep expertise in defined benefit, cash balance, and 401(k) plans.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersTucson, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Pinnacle Plan Design does
Pinnacle Plan Design, LLC is a privately held, Arizona-based third-party administrator (TPA) specializing in qualified retirement plan design, administration, and actuarial consulting for closely-held businesses across the United States. Founded in January 2001 by Kevin J. Donovan, the firm administers nearly 2,000 plans covering approximately $2 billion in plan assets and 20,000 participants, with core offerings spanning defined benefit, cash balance, 401(k), profit sharing, money purchase, and combination plans. Service scope includes custom plan design, IRS/DOL/PBGC form preparation, compliance testing (ADP/ACP, top-heavy, non-discrimination), Schedule SB and AFTAP actuarial certifications, plan document drafting and maintenance, merger and acquisition consulting, and SECURE 2.0 advisory.
The firm's competitive foundation is human capital and regulatory credibility rather than technology. The team carries 860 years of combined experience and 68 pension-related designations (EAs, FSAs, FCAs, CPAs, QPAs, QKAs); multiple partners are nationally recognized thought leaders, including authors of the 2016–2024 editions of Wolters Kluwer's Defined Benefit Answer Book. Pinnacle holds CEFEX certification for Service Provider Excellence (annually renewed) and is represented in leadership of ASPPA, NIPA, ASEA, and the American Retirement Association. Pricing is fee-for-service with no minimums or subscriptions; revenue mechanics are professional services fees plus, where applicable, asset-based actuarial and PBGC filing fees.
The go-to-market motion is sales-led and channel-distributed: direct consulting with closely-held businesses combined with B2B referral and white-label actuarial services for financial advisors, accountants, and other TPAs lacking in-house enrolled actuaries. Marketing is content-driven — a dedicated SECURE 2.0 hub, the 'Reinventing Retirement' quarterly newsletter, a Retirement Plan Reference Guide, and recurring speaking engagements at ASPPA, ASEA, NAPA, CoCA, AICPA, and NIPA conferences — designed to feed the advisor channel and support plan-sponsor deal closure. The company has no disclosed funding, no parent organization, and no subsidiaries.
Pinnacle Plan Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pinnacle Plan Design
- Legal name
- Pinnacle Plan Design, LLC
- Website
- https://pinnacle-plan.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Pinnacle Plan Design is a privately held Arizona-based third-party administrator providing qualified retirement plan design, administration, and actuarial consulting to nearly 2,000 closely-held businesses nationwide, with deep expertise in defined benefit, cash balance, and 401(k) plans.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pinnacle Plan Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Retirement Plan Administration and Actuarial Consulting
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Employer Retirement Plan Advisory (401(k)/Pension) (FSAEABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Corporate Retirement Plan Advisory RIAs (ERISA 401(k)/403(b)) (FSAAACAF)
Keywords
Where Pinnacle Plan Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tucson
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Pinnacle Plan Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Third-Party Administration (TPA) Services: Comprehensive retirement plan administration services including plan design, document preparation, compliance testing, Form 5500 preparation, and ongoing plan maintenance for defined benefit, cash balance, 401(k), and profit sharing plans.
- Actuarial Consulting Services: Actuarial consulting for defined benefit and cash balance plans including signed Schedule SB, actuarial certification of AFTAP, actuarial valuation reports, and participant statements. Services provided to other TPAs and directly to plan sponsors.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Actuarial Consulting Services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Pinnacle Plan Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pinnacle Plan Design is a third-party administrator providing qualified retirement plan design, administration, and actuarial consulting services for defined benefit, cash balance, 401(k), profit sharing, money purchase, and combination plans. Services include plan document preparation, ongoing compliance testing, IRS/DOL/PBGC form preparation, actuarial valuations, and merger and acquisition consulting for closely-held business plan sponsors. The firm also provides actuarial consulting services to other TPAs and financial advisors who lack in-house enrolled actuary capability.
Product overview
Pinnacle Plan Design is a third-party administrator (TPA) providing a comprehensive suite of qualified retirement plan services. The core offering consists of plan design, plan document preparation and maintenance, plan administration and compliance, actuarial consulting, governmental form preparation, and merger/acquisition consulting. The company specializes in defined benefit plans (traditional and cash balance), defined contribution plans (401(k), profit sharing, money purchase), and combination plans. Services are delivered through personalized consulting relationships with CEFEX-certified processes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Plan Design Customized retirement plan design services for traditional defined benefit, cash balance, 401(k), profit sharing, and money purchase plans, tailored to client workforce demographics, tax objectives, and retirement requirements. Designed for closely-held businesses and the financial advisors and CPAs who serve them.
- Plan Document Preparation and Maintenance IRS-required written plan document preparation including adoption agreements, resolutions, amendments, and trust agreements, with ongoing updates to maintain regulatory compliance for closely-held business plan sponsors.
- Plan Administration and Compliance Comprehensive annual plan administration including eligibility calculations, contribution allocations, benefit accruals, compliance testing (ADP/ACP, top-heavy, non-discrimination), Form 5500 preparation, and participant distributions for defined benefit and defined contribution plans.
- 401(k)/Profit Sharing Plan Consulting Consulting services for 401(k) and profit sharing plans including process improvement, plan design enhancements, contribution optimization, data submission review, and merger/acquisition support for plan sponsors and advisors.
- Actuarial Consulting Full-service actuarial consulting including traditional defined benefit and cash balance plan design, Schedule SB preparation, AFTAP certification, actuarial valuation reports, PBGC premium filings, and combined-plan non-discrimination testing for plan sponsors and other TPAs.
- Governmental Form Preparation - IRS, DOL, PBGC Preparation and filing of governmental forms including Form 5500, Form 5500-SF, Form 5500-EZ, Form 5558, Schedule SB, Form 8955-SSA, Form 5300, Form 5330, Form 1099-R, Form 945, and PBGC comprehensive premium filings for plan sponsors.
- Merger and Acquisition Consulting Consulting services for merging 401(k) or pension plans during acquisitions, addressing controlled group issues, coverage testing, non-discrimination rules, plan terminations, and orphaned plan prevention for plan sponsors and acquirers.
- Cash Balance Plans A defined benefit plan type that credits participant accounts with annual compensation and interest credits, providing predictable benefits and larger tax deductions compared to 401(k) plans. Designed for closely-held businesses seeking to maximize tax-advantaged retirement contributions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Serves nearly 2,000 closely-held clients with $2 billion in plan assets and 20,000 participants
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Pinnacle Plan Design
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Pinnacle Plan Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature2 records
Pinnacle Plan Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- CEFEX (Centre for Fiduciary Excellence, LLC)coreCEFEX provides independent certification and audit services for retirement plan service providers. Pinnacle Plan Design attained CEFEX certification for Service Provider Excellence, demonstrating operational integrity and adherence to fiduciary best practices. The certification requires annual renewal.
- Wolters KluwercoreWolters Kluwer is the publisher of the Defined Benefit Answer Book, authored by Pinnacle's actuaries for the 2016-2024 editions. This collaboration positions Pinnacle as thought leaders in the retirement plan industry.
- ASPPA (American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries)coreASPPA is the primary professional organization for pension professionals. Pinnacle's CEO Amanda Iverson serves as 2024 President of ASPPA. The firm actively participates in ASPPA conferences and credentialing programs.
- NIPA (National Institute of Pension Administrators)coreNIPA is a professional organization for pension administrators. Pinnacle staff actively participate in NIPA certification and credentialing programs. Stephanie Terry serves as a Board Member of NIPA.
- Professional Conference OrganizationscorePinnacle actuaries regularly speak at conferences hosted by ASPPA, ASEA/ACOPA, NAPA, CoCA, AICPA, American Academy of Actuaries, NIPA, Larry Deutsch Enterprises, and Western Pension Benefit Council (WPBC).
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Pinnacle Plan Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Pinnacle Plan Design social profiles
Digital presencePinnacle Plan Design compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Pinnacle Plan Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pinnacle Plan Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Pinnacle Plan Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pinnacle Plan Design 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 Pinnacle Plan Design
What does Pinnacle Plan Design do?
Pinnacle Plan Design is a third-party administrator providing qualified retirement plan design, administration, and actuarial consulting services for defined benefit, cash balance, 401(k), profit sharing, money purchase, and combination plans. Services include plan document preparation, ongoing compliance testing, IRS/DOL/PBGC form preparation, actuarial valuations, and merger and acquisition consulting for closely-held business plan sponsors. The firm also provides actuarial consulting services to other TPAs and financial advisors who lack in-house enrolled actuary capability.
Is Pinnacle Plan Design a public or private company?
Pinnacle Plan Design is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Pinnacle Plan Design founded?
Pinnacle Plan Design was founded in 2001. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Pinnacle Plan Design based?
Pinnacle Plan Design is headquartered in Tucson, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pinnacle Plan Design make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Third-Party Administration (TPA) Services are the primary driver. The others are actuarial Consulting Services.
Does Pinnacle Plan Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pinnacle Plan Design.
What industry is Pinnacle Plan Design in?
Pinnacle Plan Design's product category is Retirement Plan Administration and Actuarial Consulting. 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 SIC code is 6282.