CrossPlans
CrossPlans is a California-based, family-owned Third Party Administration firm founded in 2006, providing retirement plan design, administration, ERISA consulting, and actuarial services to employers, financial advisors, and CPAs across the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersLaguna Hills, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CrossPlans does
CrossPlans is a privately held, second-generation family-owned Third Party Administration (TPA) firm founded in 2006 by Jack Cross and now led by his son Jordan Cross as President. The firm is headquartered in Dana Point, California, with a secondary office in Laguna Hills, and provides retirement plan design, administration, implementation, ERISA consulting, and actuarial services primarily to California-based employers, financial advisors, and CPAs. The firm manages $2.2B+ in assets under administration across 1,200+ qualified retirement plans covering 25,000+ plan participants, including 500+ defined benefit plans.
The company's core product set comprises five integrated service lines: Plan Design (custom-built qualified plans), Administration (compliance testing, government filings, participant communication), Implementation (start-up and takeover onboarding), ERISA Consulting (fiduciary guidance, compliance review, M&A support), and Actuarial Services (cash balance and defined benefit plan valuations). In July 2024 the firm launched CrossPlans Actuarial, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary providing back-office actuarial support to independently owned TPA firms, with five West Coast clients and 500+ plans served. CrossPlans is also a founding member of The Cerrado Group, a national alliance of 16 independent TPA firms collectively serving 23,000+ plans and 850,000+ participants.
The business model is professional services-based: revenue is generated from per-plan and per-participant administration fees, compliance testing fees, actuarial valuation fees, ERISA consulting engagements, and implementation fees, all custom-quoted based on plan size, complexity, and scope. Go-to-market is sales-led and consultative, with distribution through direct website proposal requests, center-of-influence referrals from financial advisors and CPAs, and the TPA-firm channel via CrossPlans Actuarial. The technology stack consists of industry-standard third-party TPA platforms augmented by proprietary automations for data collection; no native AI/ML capability is disclosed. CrossPlans is "fiercely independent," with no venture capital, private equity, or institutional ownership indicated, and currently employs approximately 25 credentialed professionals.
CrossPlans firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CrossPlans
- Legal name
- CrossPlans
- Website
- https://crossplans.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CrossPlans is a California-based, family-owned Third Party Administration firm founded in 2006, providing retirement plan design, administration, ERISA consulting, and actuarial services to employers, financial advisors, and CPAs across the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CrossPlans industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Retirement Plan Administration
- NAICS
- Pharmacy Benefit Management and Other Third Party Administration of Insurance and Pension Funds (524292)
- SIC
- Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Compliance, Reporting & Regulatory Administration (ERISA/ACA/No Surprises) (HLAEALAJ)
Keywords
Where CrossPlans is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Laguna Hills
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
CrossPlans 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 Services: Fees for administering qualified retirement plans including 401(k), defined benefit, and cash balance plans. Revenue derived from plan administration, compliance testing, actuarial services, ERISA consulting, and implementation services. Pricing likely based on plan size, participant count, and complexity of services.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
CrossPlans product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CrossPlans is a Third Party Administration (TPA) firm that designs, implements, and administers qualified retirement plans (401(k), Defined Benefit, Cash Balance) for employers. It delivers Plan Design, ongoing Administration (compliance testing, government filings), Implementation/Onboarding, ERISA Consulting, and in-house Actuarial Services through a team of credentialed professionals. The firm also operates a subsidiary, CrossPlans Actuarial, providing back-office actuarial support to other independent TPA firms.
Product overview
CrossPlans is a technology-forward, fiercely independent Third Party Administration (TPA) firm offering a suite of retirement plan services. The company's core offerings include Plan Design (custom-built Qualified Retirement Plans), Administration (comprehensive plan management including compliance testing and filings), Implementation (plan setup and onboarding), ERISA Consulting (regulatory guidance and fiduciary support), and Actuarial Services (in-house expertise for Cash Balance and Defined Benefit plans). The subsidiary brand CrossPlans Actuarial, launched in July 2024, extends back-office actuarial support specifically to independently owned TPA firms. Together, these products form an integrated retirement plan ecosystem addressing plan design, administration, compliance, and actuarial needs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Plan Design
Companies that use CrossPlans
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
CrossPlans technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
CrossPlans partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- The Cerrado GroupcoreCrossPlans is a founding member of The Cerrado Group, a national alliance of 16 independent, privately held TPA firms dedicated to elevating retirement plan consulting through collaboration, innovation, and shared expertise. The alliance serves 23,000+ plans and 850,000+ participants. The group also supports charitable initiatives with donations to global conservation causes.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CrossPlans competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pentegra: Defined contribution and defined benefit plan TPA with strong cash balance and DB expertise; directly comparable to CrossPlans' actuarial and DB plan practice.
- Ascensus: One of the largest independent retirement plan TPAs in the U.S., serving 401(k), 403(b), defined benefit, and cash balance plans — directly comparable to CrossPlans' core business with much larger scale.
- American Fiduciary Services: Independent, boutique TPA providing 401(k), DB and cash balance plan administration to mid-market employers — closely overlapping CrossPlans' service mix and target market.
- Sentinel Group: Privately held retirement plan administration and consulting firm serving defined contribution and defined benefit plans; mirrors CrossPlans' boutique, mid-market TPA positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Principal Financial Group: Diversified financial services firm with a substantial retirement plan administration and DB/cash balance practice; competes for mid- and large-market plan mandates.
- OneAmerica: Insurance-and-retirement services company offering DB and 401(k) administration through its Employee Benefits division; comparable to CrossPlans' DB/cash balance specialization but at much larger scale.
- Empower Retirement: One of the largest U.S. retirement plan recordkeepers with full TPA-adjacent capabilities; competes for large plan mandates and shapes advisor preferences across CrossPlans' market.
- Schwab Retirement Plan Services: Major 401(k) recordkeeper with administration capabilities across plan types; competes for advisor-referred plan business adjacent to CrossPlans' market.
- Fidelity Workplace Investing: Top-tier retirement recordkeeper offering bundled plan design, administration, and participant services — a frequent competitor and procurement alternative for plan sponsors CrossPlans targets.
Emerging players
- Vestwell (Newport / Vestwell Retirement): Tech-enabled retirement plan administration platform for advisors and small/mid-market plan sponsors; competes for the same TPA-of-record RFPs as CrossPlans, with a more modern technology stack.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CrossPlans social profiles
Digital presenceCrossPlans financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CrossPlans leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
CrossPlans subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
CrossPlans funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CrossPlans 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 CrossPlans
What does CrossPlans do?
CrossPlans is a Third Party Administration (TPA) firm that designs, implements, and administers qualified retirement plans (401(k), Defined Benefit, Cash Balance) for employers. It delivers Plan Design, ongoing Administration (compliance testing, government filings), Implementation/Onboarding, ERISA Consulting, and in-house Actuarial Services through a team of credentialed professionals. The firm also operates a subsidiary, CrossPlans Actuarial, providing back-office actuarial support to other independent TPA firms.
Is CrossPlans a public or private company?
CrossPlans is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was CrossPlans founded?
CrossPlans was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CrossPlans based?
CrossPlans is headquartered in Laguna Hills, United States, in the North America region.
How does CrossPlans make money?
One revenue line is on record: third Party Administration Services.
Who are CrossPlans's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pentegra, Ascensus, American Fiduciary Services and Sentinel Group. Broad incumbents are Principal Financial Group, OneAmerica, Empower Retirement, Schwab Retirement Plan Services and Fidelity Workplace Investing. Vestwell (Newport / Vestwell Retirement) is listed as an emerging player.
Does CrossPlans have an API?
No public API is recorded for CrossPlans.
What industry is CrossPlans in?
CrossPlans's product category is Retirement Plan Administration. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAEALAJ, Compliance, Reporting & Regulatory Administration (ERISA/ACA/No Surprises). Its NAICS code is 524292 and its SIC code is 6411.