Bates & Company

What Bates & Company does

Bates & Company is a privately-held, Orlando-area third-party administrator (TPA) specializing in qualified retirement plan design, administration, and compliance consulting for small to mid-sized businesses in Florida. Founded in May 1987 by Joyce Bates and now owned by John D. Laskowitz, the firm operates from a Winter Park headquarters with regional offices in Jacksonville and Tampa/Clearwater, serving clients that are predominantly 401(k) and Profit Sharing plans with 250 or fewer employees, including medical professionals, lawyers, accountants, and SMBs across various industries.

The firm's product portfolio spans the full range of qualified retirement plan types, including 401(k) (with Safe Harbor variants), Cash Balance, Defined Benefit, Profit-Sharing (including Age-Weighted and New Comparability designs), 403(b), 457, SEP/SAR-SEP, 412(i) and 412(e)(3), Money Purchase, and ESOP plans. Service delivery rests on dedicated Account Managers who provide in-person, consultative support, supported by a self-serve client portal (portal.batesco.com) and a bimonthly educational newsletter. The team holds ASPPA designations (QPA, QKA) and IRS Enrolled Retirement Plan Agent (ERPA) credentials, with the firm citing over 120 years of combined retirement plan administration experience.

Bates & Company operates a sales-led, relationship-driven go-to-market with pricing on a quote-based, non-public model. Revenue is generated through professional service fees for plan administration, compliance testing (ADP/ACP, minimum coverage, Top Heavy), Form 5500 preparation, annual reports, plan design consulting, and IRS filing assistance. New business is acquired almost entirely through referrals from existing clients and professional contacts, and the firm maintains relationships with regulatory bodies (IRS, DOL, EBSA) and industry associations (ASPPA, National Pension Associates) to support its compliance work. The firm carries no outside funding, has no disclosed revenue, and has not executed any acquisitions or major restructuring events.

Name

Bates & Company

Legal name

Bates & Company

Website

https://batesco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bates & Company is a privately-held Florida-based third-party administrator that designs and administers qualified retirement plans—primarily 401(k) and profit-sharing plans—for small to mid-sized businesses with up to 250 employees. It generates professional service fees through dedicated account management, compliance testing, and Form 5500 preparation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Orlando

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retirement Plan Administration Services: Third-party administration (TPA) services for qualified retirement plans including 401(k), profit sharing, defined benefit, cash balance, and other plan types. Revenue derives from professional service fees for plan administration, compliance testing, Form 5500 preparation, and consulting.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bates & Company is a third-party administrator (TPA) providing retirement plan design, administration, and compliance services for qualified plans including 401(k), profit sharing, defined benefit, cash balance, 403(b), 457, and ESOP plans. The firm serves primarily Florida-based small to mid-sized businesses with 250 or fewer employees, delivering services such as eligibility determination, contribution allocation, compliance testing (ADP/ACP, minimum coverage, Top Heavy), Form 5500 preparation, and plan consulting through dedicated account managers.

Product overview

Bates & Company offers a comprehensive suite of retirement plan administration and consulting services for businesses of various sizes. The company provides multiple qualified retirement plan products including 401(k) Plans (with Safe Harbor options), Cash Balance Plans, Defined Benefit Plans, Profit-Sharing Plans (including Age-Weighted and New Comparability variants), 403(b) Plans, 457 Plans, SEPs, and ESOP Plans. The portfolio also includes specialized plans like 412(i) and 412(e)(3) Plans, Money Purchase Pension Plans, and Employer Stock Option Plans. These products are supported by administrative services (eligibility determination, compliance testing, Form 5500 preparation) and design services (plan consultation, implementation, and IRS filing assistance). The company primarily serves small to mid-sized businesses in Florida, particularly those with 250 or fewer employees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 401(k) Plans
• Cash Balance Plans
• Defined Benefit Plans
• Profit-Sharing Plans
• 403(b) Plans
• 457 Plans
• SEPs and SAR-SEPs
• ESOP / Employer Stock Option Plans
• Money Purchase Pension Plans
• Plan Design Services
• Administration Services

Named customers4 records

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

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ASPPA (American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries)coreOthersBates & Company team members are members of ASPPA, holding designations including QPA, QKA, and ERPA. The company also has representation on the ASPPA Benefits Council of Central Florida board.
• Internal Revenue Service (IRS)coreOthersBates & Company works with IRS for plan document filings, Form 5500 submissions, and represents clients before the IRS through Enrolled Retirement Plan Agents.
• Department of Labor (DOL)coreOthersBates & Company prepares and files DOL Form 5500 and related schedules as part of annual retirement plan administration.
• Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)minorOthersListed resource link for clients on the Resources page.
• Social Security AdministrationminorOthersListed resource link for clients on the Resources page.
• Colonial Surety Company DirectminorOthersListed as a partner resource for fidelity bonds and ERISA-required surety coverage for retirement plans.
• National Pension AssociatesminorOthersListed as a partner resource on the Resources page.
• Winter Park Chamber of CommerceminorOthersListed as a community resource. Bates & Company is a local business member of the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ascensus: One of the largest independent third-party retirement plan administrators in the U.S., with deep focus on small and mid-sized 401(k), 403(b), and defined benefit plans. Directly comparable to Bates & Company in core offering—qualified plan design, compliance testing, Form 5500, and plan administration—serving a similar SMB and professional-practice client base, though at materially greater scale and national footprint.
• Employee Benefits Corporation (EBC): Mid-sized independent retirement plan TPA focused on small and mid-sized plan sponsors with personalized account management and full-service administration. Closely comparable to Bates & Company on product breadth (401(k), profit sharing, defined benefit, cash balance), customer segment, and consultative service model.
• BlueStar Retirement Advisors: Independent third-party plan administrator serving small and mid-sized plan sponsors with 401(k), profit sharing, defined benefit, and 403(b) administration. Comparable to Bates & Company in niche focus, consultative sales motion, and concentration on professional practices and SMB employers.

Broad incumbents

• Principal Financial Group: Broad retirement and insurance provider offering 401(k), defined benefit, and pension administration to small and mid-sized businesses. Comparable to Bates & Company on qualified plan administration across a national footprint and on the SMB/professional-practice vertical.
• John Hancock Retirement Plan Services: National retirement plan recordkeeper and administrator offering 401(k), 403(b), and other qualified plan services to businesses of all sizes, including the small-business segment. Overlaps with Bates & Company on defined contribution and 403(b) administration, with broader product breadth and scale.
• Empower Retirement: Among the largest U.S. retirement plan recordkeepers and administrators following the MassMutual/PwC/Prudential acquisitions, serving plans of all sizes. Significant overlap with Bates & Company's 401(k) and defined contribution administration services across SMB through enterprise segments.
• ADP Retirement Services: One of the largest recordkeepers and administrators for small-business 401(k) plans in the U.S., bundled with ADP's payroll/HR suite. Overlaps significantly with Bates & Company on small/mid 401(k) and Safe Harbor plan administration for SMBs, although at far larger scale with a technology-led model.
• Fidelity Workplace Investing: Major recordkeeper and administrator of small-business and mid-market 401(k) plans, with strong brand in the SMB retirement market. Comparable to Bates & Company on small/mid 401(k) administration, though delivered through a technology-led, high-volume platform rather than dedicated account managers.
• Nationwide Retirement Solutions: Established retirement plan provider offering 401(k), 457, and other qualified plan administration with strong presence in government and education markets. Comparable to Bates & Company on 403(b) and 457 plan services and on Florida SMB/government employer exposure.

Emerging players

• Retirement Plan Advisory Group (RPAG): Retirement plan consulting and administration platform focused on advisor-led plan management for small and mid-sized plans. Overlaps with Bates & Company on 401(k) and qualified plan administration and on the professional/advisor referral channel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Bates & Company