What PLANADVISER does

PLANADVISER is a privately held B2B media and intelligence platform serving retirement benefits decision makers in the United States, operated as a division of Asset International, Inc. under the Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) corporate umbrella alongside sister publications PLANSPONSOR and CIO. The company publishes daily news and analysis across categories including Compliance, In Practice, The Markets, Deals & People, and Products & Services through a digital-first publishing platform at planadviser.com, complemented by a quarterly print magazine with archives dating to at least 2006, three email newsletters (Breaking News, Spotlight, and PLANADVISER Dash), proprietary industry surveys such as the annual Adviser Value Survey, awards programs, and the annual PLANADVISER 360 conference held in Arizona (the 2026 edition scheduled November 8-11, marking the post-20th-anniversary iteration). Editorial and audience operations are centered in Rockville, Maryland.

The core audience consists of retirement plan advisers, plan sponsors (employers sponsoring 401(k) and 403(b) plans), and HR/benefits decision makers, with editorial coverage oriented around ERISA compliance, fiduciary responsibilities, plan design, investment selection, and regulatory developments such as Department of Labor rulemaking and SEC enforcement actions. A 21-member advisory board drawn from firms including Francis LLC, HUB International, and CSi Advisory Services provides market intelligence and credibility.

Revenue is generated through four primary streams: digital advertising sold via ISS Media Solutions to financial-services vendors targeting the retirement plan market; content licensing and reprints (PDF reprints priced at $1,325-$1,650 per 650-word block); single-copy print magazine sales ($40 U.S., $45 Canada/Mexico, $70 international); and registration fees and sponsorships tied to PLANADVISER 360 and related industry events. Sponsored content partnerships — exemplified by white papers co-produced with MFS Investment Management — extend the commercial mix. The platform operates both B2B (selling to advertisers) and B2B2C (reaching advisers who influence vendor purchasing) models, with global digital distribution supplemented by regional event and print channels.

Name

PLANADVISER

Legal name

Asset International, Inc.

Website

https://planadviser.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

PLANADVISER is a B2B media and intelligence platform serving U.S. retirement benefits decision makers — retirement plan advisers, plan sponsors, and HR/benefits leaders — through daily news, a quarterly print magazine, newsletters, the annual PA360 conference, and proprietary surveys, operated under Asset International / ISS.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retirement Benefits Media

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Retirement Plan Participant Advice & Managed Accounts (FSAEABAF)

Keywords

• Retirement benefits publishing
• B2B financial media
• Industry intelligence platform
• Professional media publishing
• Retirement plan news

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Digital Advertising: The company generates advertising revenue by selling digital ad placements to vendors, service providers, and financial services companies targeting the retirement plan market. Advertisers can access media kits and digital ad specifications through the website.
2. Content Licensing and Reprints: Revenue generated from licensing and reprints of magazine and online articles. PDF reprints up to 650 words are priced at $1,325 without art/image and $1,650 with art/image. Additional 650-word blocks cost $500 each.
3. Print Magazine Sales: Single copy sales of PLANADVISER print magazine: $40 for U.S. addresses, $45 for Canada/Mexico, $70 for international locations.
4. Events: Revenue from PLANADVISER 360 annual conference and related industry events, including registration fees and sponsorship opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

PLANADVISER is a print and digital B2B media publication that produces news, analysis, and intelligence content for retirement benefits decision makers, including retirement plan advisers, plan sponsors, and HR/benefits professionals. The core offering comprises a digital news platform with categorized sections (Compliance, In Practice, The Markets, Deals & People, Products & Services), a quarterly print and digital magazine, three email newsletters (Breaking News, Spotlight, PLANADVISER Dash), the annual PLANADVISER 360 conference, industry surveys and awards, and sponsored thought leadership content.

Product overview

PLANADVISER is a unified media and intelligence platform serving America's retirement benefits decision makers. The core offering consists of a digital news and analysis platform delivering real-time coverage across Compliance, In Practice, The Markets, Deals & People, and Products & Services. Complementing the digital platform is PLANADVISER Magazine, a print and digital publication with archives spanning back to 2006, and PLANADVISER 360, an annual conference event. The product suite also includes targeted newsletters (Breaking News, Spotlight, PLANADVISER Dash), industry surveys and awards programs, and thought leadership content including white papers, webinars, and partner videos. Together these products provide retirement plan advisers with news, research, networking, and professional development resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PLANADVISER 360: Annual conference for retirement plan advisers featuring networking and peer-to-peer insights, held in November.
• PLANADVISER Dash
• PA360

Products and services

• PLANADVISER News & Analysis Platform Digital news platform providing retirement benefits decision makers with coverage of compliance, industry practices, markets, deals, and product developments through categorized news sections (Compliance, In Practice, The Markets, Deals & People, Products & Services) and special coverage packages.
• PLANADVISER Magazine Quarterly print and digital publication covering retirement plan adviser topics, industry surveys, and profiles, with archived issues dating back to 2006.
• PLANADVISER 360 Conference Annual industry conference for retirement plan advisers featuring networking, peer-to-peer insights, and video highlights on-demand. Held annually in November in Arizona (Scottsdale); 2026 edition scheduled November 8-11.
• PLANADVISER Newsletters Email newsletter suite including Breaking News (daily alerts), Spotlight (periodic highlights), and PLANADVISER Dash (regular updates), delivering industry intelligence and analysis to retirement benefits professionals.
• PLANADVISER Surveys & Awards Annual research and recognition program including the Adviser Value Survey and awards programs recognizing top retirement plan advisers and industry achievements.
• Industry Intelligence Content White papers, sponsored webinars, partner videos, and thought leadership content covering retirement industry trends and solutions, produced in partnership with financial services companies.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• MFS Investment ManagementminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMFS Investment Management sponsors PLANADVISER's white paper content, including the '2025 DC Retirement at a Glance' industry report. The partnership provides MFS with thought leadership visibility while providing PLANADVISER content for its audience.
• Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS)coreOthersPLANADVISER is part of the ISS Media Solutions portfolio under Asset International, Inc. The publication operates alongside sister brands PLANSPONSOR and CIO. ISS is a leading provider of corporate governance and responsible investment solutions.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• ThinkAdvisor: Digital-first B2B media brand targeting financial advisers and retirement specialists; competes for the same registered-investment-adviser and retirement-plan-adviser audience.
• InvestmentNews: Leading B2B media brand serving financial advisers across wealth and retirement; directly competes for adviser mindshare, advertising dollars, and conference attendance in the same professional segment.
• Employee Benefit News (SourceMedia): B2B media brand covering employee benefits including retirement; competes for HR/benefits-decision-maker readership and retirement-advertising revenue alongside PLANADVISER.
• PLANSPONSOR: Sister publication within the Asset International/ISS portfolio covering retirement plan sponsors (the buyer side), directly overlapping with PLANADVISER's adviser-side coverage in the same niche audience.
• BenefitsPro: B2B media outlet covering employee benefits including retirement plans; directly overlaps PLANADVISER's plan-sponsor and HR/benefits-decision-maker audience and advertising pool.
• Pensions & Investments: Established B2B media brand covering institutional asset management and retirement; competes for the same plan-sponsor and institutional-advertiser budgets as PLANADVISER.

Broad incumbents

• WealthManagement.com: Broadwealth advisory media platform that extends into retirement planning content; overlaps with PLANADVISER's adviser audience but serves a wider wealth management TAM.
• CFO Magazine: Broader B2B business media reaching senior finance and benefits decision makers at plan-sponsor organizations; a partial substitute for PLANADVISER's HR/benefits audience.

Others

• CIO (CIO Magazine): Sister brand under Asset International/ISS covering institutional investment decision makers; not a direct competitor but shares parent infrastructure, audience adjacency, and event sponsors.

Emerging players

• NAPA Net / 401(k)Wire: Niche industry association media (National Association of Plan Advisors) focused specifically on 401(k) and retirement plan advisers; narrowest direct overlap with PLANADVISER's primary segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 PLANADVISER