Pacific Pension & Benefit Services

What Pacific Pension & Benefit Services does

Pacific Pension & Benefit Services (PPBS) is a privately held financial services firm headquartered in Antioch, California, that designs and administers retirement and employee benefit plans for small and medium-sized businesses. The firm offers 401(k) plans, pension and profit-sharing plans, non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements, group insurance, and complementary estate and financial planning services, holding licensure across ten U.S. states (CA, NV, AZ, CO, OR, WA, UT, MI, HI, NC).

The company is owned and led by founder Michael Kennedy, who entered the business in 1980 and purchased the firm outright in 2006, with Christopher Bott serving as Vice President. Revenue is generated through three principal channels: ongoing plan administration fees, insurance commissions on group and individual products, and securities-related compensation via an affiliation with LPL Financial. Its go-to-market is relationship-based, relying on direct advisor outreach and client referrals rather than scaled marketing or distribution partnerships.

PPBS operates as a small advisory practice with 11-50 employees, no proprietary technology platform, no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, and no outside equity capital. The firm is structured as a stable, founder-owned service business focused on long-term client retention within a mature, regulated industry rather than growth at scale.

Name

Pacific Pension & Benefit Services

Legal name

Pacific Pension & Benefit Services, Inc.

Website

https://pacificpensions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pacific Pension & Benefit Services is an Antioch, California-based financial advisory firm that designs, administers, and services retirement, pension, and group benefit plans for small and medium-sized businesses across ten U.S. states under founder Michael Kennedy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retirement Plan Administration & Employee Benefits

NAICS

Pharmacy Benefit Management and Other Third Party Administration of Insurance and Pension Funds (524292), Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds (5251), Health and Welfare Funds (525120)

SIC

Life Insurance (6311), Accident & Health Insurance (6321)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Pensions & Retirement Benefits Administration (BPAIAKAA), Retirement & Pension Planning (401(k)/IRA) (FSAEAAAD), Benefits Administration & Enrollment Support (BPAAAIAB), Employee Benefit & Retirement Plan Trust Services (FSAAANAC)

Keywords

• Retirement plan administration
• Employee benefit services
• 401(k) plan design
• Group insurance brokerage
• Estate planning services

Headquarters

HQ city

California

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Plan Administration Services: Fee-based services for designing, implementing, and administering benefit plans including 401(k), pension, profit sharing, and non-qualified retirement plans. PPBS handles time-consuming plan administration for clients.
2. Insurance Products: Commissions from placement of life, health, disability, and related insurance products through carrier relationships.
3. Securities Distribution: Registered Representatives offer securities through LPL Financial. Securities licensed in CA, NV, AZ, CO, OR, WA, UT, MI, HI, & NC.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Pacific Pension & Benefit Services designs, implements, and administers retirement and employee benefit plans for small-to-medium sized businesses. Its core offerings include 401(k) plans, pension and profit sharing plans, non-qualified retirement plans, group life/health/disability insurance, estate planning, and financial planning and investment vehicle services. Plan administration, recordkeeping, IRS discrimination testing, and government form completion are executed through administrative partners, while securities are offered via registered representatives through LPL Financial.

Product overview

Pacific Pension & Benefit Services offers a comprehensive suite of retirement and employee benefit services designed for small-to-medium sized businesses. The core offerings include 401(k) Plans, Pension & Profit Sharing Plans (encompassing Profit Sharing, Money Purchase Pension, and Employee Stock Ownership), Non-Qualified Retirement Plans, Group Life/Health/Disability Insurance, Estate Planning, and Financial Planning & Investment Vehicles. The company also provides plan design, implementation, recordkeeping, administration, and investment management services through administrative partners, with securities offered through LPL Financial.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 401(k) Plans Section 401(k) retirement savings plans that enable employers and employees to save for retirement through tax-deferred or ROTH payroll deductions, with employer matching options and self-directed investment choices; for small-to-medium sized businesses.
• Pension & Profit Sharing Plans Tax-deductible employer-sponsored plans including Profit Sharing, Money Purchase Pension, and Employee Stock Ownership (ESOP) plans that help participants accumulate wealth for retirement; for small-to-medium sized businesses.
• Non-Qualified Retirement Plans Systematic pre-arranged methods of accumulating retirement assets not registered with or regulated by the IRS, offering selective participation, design flexibility, and virtually unlimited contributions; for businesses seeking to enhance benefits for owners and key employees.
• Group Life, Health & Disability Insurance Insured medical plans and partial self-funding options for employers seeking quality healthcare coverage at affordable prices, including HMO, PPO, and HSA options, plus life and disability coverage; for small-to-medium sized businesses and individuals.
• Estate Planning Comprehensive estate planning services including wills, revocable living trusts, and probate guidance to help individuals manage and transfer assets during life and after death; for individuals, business owners, and their key employees.
• Financial Planning & Investment Vehicles Investment management services for plan trustees including strategy recommendations, vehicle options research, trust portfolio evaluation, and access to specialized investment opportunities; offered through PPBS registered representatives via LPL Financial for individuals and small-to-medium businesses.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights1 record

Broad incumbents

• Empower Retirement: Major recordkeeper and administrator of retirement plans serving plans of all sizes; represents the scale incumbent that competes for SMB 401(k) administration that PPBS designs locally.
• TriNet: PEO providing HR outsourcing, benefits administration, and retirement plans to small and mid-sized businesses — competes with PPBS on the benefits-administration side of the SMB value proposition.
• Paychex: Payroll, HR, and benefits administration provider for SMBs including 401(k) plan services — competes with PPBS on retirement plan integration with payroll/HR for the same SMB customer base.
• Cetera Financial Group: Wealth management and broker-dealer network whose independent advisors offer retirement plan services, financial planning, and insurance — comparable to the LPL Financial channel PPBS uses for securities distribution.
• ADP TotalSource: PEO arm of ADP offering benefits administration, retirement plans, and HR outsourcing to small businesses — broad incumbent competing for the same SMB benefits/retention value proposition.
• OneDigital: Large national benefits broker and retirement plan advisor serving employers of all sizes; overlaps with PPBS's group benefits and retirement plan design work but with a much broader portfolio including PEO and consulting.

Direct peers

• SageView Advisory Group: Specialist retirement plan consulting firm serving small-to-mid-sized plan sponsors with plan design, fiduciary support, and participant services — a direct functional peer in the SMB retirement advisory niche.
• CAPTRUST: Independent retirement plan advisory firm providing plan design, investment advice, and administration services — directly comparable to PPBS's core401(k) and retirement plan offering, though at much larger scale.
• Sequoia Financial Group: Wealth management and retirement plan firm offering401(k) advisory, plan design, and individual financial planning to SMBs and individuals — closely matches PPBS's combined retirement-advisory-plus-individual-planning model.

Regional players

• Sentinel Benefits & Financial Group: Mid-sized, multi-state independent firm providing retirement plan, group benefits, and wealth management services to employers — closely matches PPBS's integrated retirement-plus-benefits-plus-individual-planning model at slightly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Pacific Pension & Benefit Services