What 401 Plans does

401 Plans is a privately-held Third Party Administrator (TPA) and registered investment advisory firm specializing in corporate-sponsored retirement plans. Founded in the early 1970s following the passage of ERISA, the firm administers 401(k), Profit Sharing, Money Purchase, Defined Benefit, 412(i), and Cash Balance plans for corporate employer clients across California, Texas, and Florida, with a headquarters in Simi Valley, CA and a regional office in Dallas, TX. The firm has operated as a fully licensed producer in multiple states since 2001, enabling it to deliver both plan administration and participant investment guidance under one roof.

The firm's core technology stack consists of IRS Pre-Approved Prototype plan documents, a compliance testing engine covering ADP/ACP, 402(g), 401(a)(4), 410(b), 415(c), and 416(g)(4)(H) non-discrimination tests, Form 5500 preparation and PBGC filing workflows, and individualized participant portfolio design supported by annual plan reviews. These are deterministic, rule-based compliance and reporting systems rather than automated or AI-driven platforms; the firm's value sits in the licensed professionals who operate them and the regulatory interpretations they provide. The firm is designated as a regional resource for the U.S. Department of Labor and is recognized as a national authority on 401(k) and Defined Benefit plans.

The business model is professional services and managed services, with revenue generated through TPA administration fees (typically per-participant or plan-size based) and advisory and consulting fees for plan design, annual reviews, and employee investment meetings. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; the firm offers free DOL-standard benchmark assessments as a lead-conversion mechanism. Go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, relying on direct field engagement with corporate employers, industry referrals, and preferred-producer relationships with multiple record-keepers and product providers. The firm is actively hiring in plan administration, client management, and sales across its three-state footprint, signaling ongoing capacity build-out rather than market saturation or contraction.

Name

401 Plans

Legal name

401 Plans

Website

https://401plans.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

401 Plans is a California-based Third Party Administrator and advisory firm, founded in the 1970s, that designs, administers, and audits corporate 401(k), defined benefit, and other retirement plans for employer clients across California, Texas, and Florida.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retirement Plan Administration Services

NAICS

Pharmacy Benefit Management and Other Third Party Administration of Insurance and Pension Funds (524292)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Retirement & Pension Planning (401(k)/IRA) (FSAEAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Retirement Plan Participant Advice & Managed Accounts (FSAEABAF), Eligibility, Enrollment & Benefits Administration (HLAEALAH)

Keywords

• Retirement plan administration
• Third party administration
• 401(k) advisory services
• Pension plan compliance
• Defined benefit plans

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. TPA Administration Services: Third Party Administrator fees for 401(k) and pension plan administration including participant services, plan document management, compliance testing, audit support, and annual reporting. Revenue is generated through ongoing administrative fees typically based on plan size or per-participant pricing.
2. Advisory and Consulting Services: Fees for plan design consulting, individual portfolio design, annual plan reviews, group employee investment meetings, one-on-one employee investment meetings, and retirement readiness guidance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

401 Plans provides Third Party Administrator (TPA) and advisory services for corporate-sponsored retirement plans, including 401(k), Profit Sharing, Money Purchase, Defined Benefit, 412(i), and Cash Balanced plans. The firm delivers plan design, document management, compliance testing, audit support, Form 5500 preparation, participant services (loan/distribution processing, RMD calculations, plan enrollment), and individualized portfolio design with employee investment meetings for employer plan sponsors across multiple U.S. states.

Product overview

401 Plans offers a unified retirement plan administration platform consisting of two core service lines: Advisory Services (plan design, investment guidance, and employee meetings) and TPS (Third Party Administrator) Services (plan administration, compliance, and reporting). The portfolio also includes specific plan types (Defined Contribution, Defined Benefit) and specialized modules for audits, plan design, and ongoing compliance. The company operates as both a licensed producer and TPA, serving companies across multiple states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TPS (Third Party Administrator) Services Comprehensive TPA services for 401(k) and pension plans, including participant services (loan/distribution processing, RMD calculations, plan enrollment), plan and trust document management, IRS Pre-Approved Prototype documents, government-required compliance testing, audit support for Internal/DOL/IRS audits, Form 5500 preparation, Summary Annual Reports, PBGC preparation/filing, and individual participant statements. Targeted at corporate employers sponsoring retirement plans.
• Advisory Services Financial advisory services for retirement plans including plan design consulting, individualized portfolio design for each employee participant, annual plan reviews, individual fund reviews, group employee investment meetings, one-on-one employee investment meetings, and retirement readiness guidance. Targeted at corporate plan sponsors seeking to improve employee retirement outcomes.
• Defined Contribution Plans Sponsored Defined Contribution retirement plans including 401(k), Profit Sharing, and Money Purchase plans for corporate retirement programs. Targeted at corporate employers seeking employee-funded retirement benefit plans.
• Defined Benefit Plans Sponsored Defined Benefit plans including traditional Defined Benefit, 412(i), and Cash Balanced plans for employer-funded retirement benefits. Targeted at corporate employers seeking employer-funded pension plans.
• Plan Audits Plan audit services covering internal audits, Department of Labor (DOL) compliance audits, and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) audit support. Targeted at corporate plan sponsors subject to retirement plan audits.
• Plan Design

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Empower Retirement: Major recordkeeper/TPA serving defined contribution plans with administration, compliance, and advisory services at national scale; overlaps heavily with 401 Plans' mid-market employer focus.
• Principal Financial Group: Large retirement plan provider offering recordkeeping, administration, and advisory services to defined contribution plans, with similar plan design and compliance capabilities.
• ADP Retirement Services: ADP offers 401(k) administration integrated with its payroll platform, serving mid-market and enterprise employers — directly overlapping with 401 Plans' target customer profile.
• Paychex Retirement Services: Paychex bundles 401(k) plan administration with its payroll/HR platform for SMB and mid-market employers, competing for the same customer segment as 401 Plans.
• John Hancock Retirement Plan Services: John Hancock provides 401(k) plan administration, compliance, and participant services for corporate employers, with overlapping TPA capabilities to 401 Plans.
• American Funds (Capital Group) Retirement Plan Services: Capital Group offers recordkeeping and administration for employer-sponsored retirement plans, competing for mid-market and large plan business with bundled investment and compliance services.
• Fidelity Investments (Workplace Investing): Fidelity provides full-service 401(k) recordkeeping, administration, and participant advisory for employers of all sizes, including compliance testing and Form 5500 support.

Direct peers

• Ascensus: Largest independent retirement TPA in the U.S., providing 401(k), 403(b), and IRA administration, compliance testing, and plan design — directly comparable services to 401 Plans' core TPA offering.
• Retirement Plan Advisors / Third-Party Administrator Peers (e.g., Benefit Plans Plus): Independent TPAs of similar mid-market scope offering 401(k)/Defined Benefit administration, compliance testing, plan design, and advisory for corporate employers.

Emerging players

• Cetera Retirement Plan Solutions: Retirement-focused advisory and plan services practice serving mid-market employers with plan design, administration, and participant advisory, comparable to 401 Plans' dual advisory/TPA model.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 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 401 Plans