Trident Retirement Services, Llc

What Trident Retirement Services, Llc does

Trident Retirement Services, LLC is a privately held, independent third-party administrator (TPA) specializing in employer-sponsored 401(k) retirement plans for small to mid-sized businesses in the United States. Headquartered in State College, Pennsylvania with a secondary office in Wilmington, North Carolina, the firm delivers a bundled service stack covering plan setup, ongoing administration, IRS/DOL regulatory compliance (including nondiscrimination testing and Form 5500 filings), and strategic consulting on plan design and contribution outcomes. Its stated sales methodology is consultative — a "Blank Paper" approach that begins with listening before recommending tailored plan structures — and it positions itself as an unbiased advisor distinct from recordkeepers or broker-dealers.

The firm's core technology is the PlanSponsor Link client portal, which handles annual data collection, file exchange, and client-team communication. It also offers Retirement Plan Check-Up engagements as an add-on service and partners with Colonial Surety Bond to provide ERISA fidelity bond coverage to plan sponsors. Distribution is primarily direct sales via face-to-face initial consultations, supplemented by a collaborative channel working with accountants and financial advisors; digital presence is limited to a company website and LinkedIn page.

Trident operates as a bootstrapped professional services firm with no disclosed external funding, no parent company, and no institutional investors indicated. Revenue is generated through quote-based, multi-year contracts for 401(k) administration and compliance work; specific pricing, headcount, and financial figures are not publicly disclosed. No AI/ML capabilities, patents, certifications, or regulatory actions are referenced in the available material.

Name

Trident Retirement Services, Llc

Legal name

Trident Retirement Services, LLC

Website

https://trident-retirement.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Trident Retirement Services, LLC is an independent third-party administrator providing 401(k) plan administration, compliance, and consulting services to small and mid-sized US businesses across Pennsylvania and the Southeast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retirement Plan Administration Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds (5251)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Pensions & Retirement Benefits Administration (BPAIAKAA)

Keywords

• Retirement plan administration
• 401(k) plan management
• Third-party administration
• ERISA compliance services
• Retirement plan consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

State College

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, Others

Revenue model

1. 401(k) Plan Administration Services: Third-party administration and consulting services for employer-sponsored retirement plans. Services include plan setup, ongoing maintenance, compliance support, testing, reporting, and regulatory filings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Trident Retirement Services provides independent third-party administration and consulting for employer-sponsored 401(k) retirement plans. Core services encompass plan setup, ongoing administration, regulatory compliance testing and filings (including Form 5500), plan design analysis, contribution outcome comparisons, and strategic consulting to align retirement offerings with employer business objectives. The firm also offers a secure PlanSponsor Link client portal for annual data exchange and facilitates ERISA fidelity bond procurement.

Product overview

Trident Retirement Services offers a unified suite of retirement plan administration services centered on 401(k) plans. The core offering comprises 401(k) Plan Administration, Regulatory Compliance Services, and Consulting Services, which work together to handle plan setup, ongoing management, compliance testing, and strategic optimization. This core suite is supplemented by PlanSponsor Link, a proprietary client portal enabling secure data collection and file exchanges, plus Retirement Plan Check-Up reviews and ERISA Fidelity Bond services through Colonial Surety. The company positions itself as an independent third-party administrator providing unbiased guidance through its 'Blank Paper' consulting approach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 401(k) Plan Administration Comprehensive 401(k) plan management from setup to ongoing maintenance, ensuring smooth operation and participant satisfaction for employer-sponsored retirement plans.
• Regulatory Compliance Services Expert guidance on IRS regulations, annual nondiscrimination testing, Form 5500 filings, and proactive compliance strategies designed to minimize regulatory risks and penalties for plan sponsors.
• PlanSponsor Link Client Portal Secure client portal for plan sponsors to submit annual data collection, update contacts and addresses, exchange files, and communicate with the Trident team.
• Retirement Plan Check-Up Regular plan review service to ensure retirement strategies continue to meet evolving business needs, maximize benefits, and adapt to legislative and market changes.
• ERISA Fidelity Bond Services Facilitation of surety bond procurement through Colonial Surety to meet ERISA fidelity bond requirements for retirement plan protection, offered to plan sponsors via a dedicated purchase link.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Colonial Surety BondsupportingOthersColonial Surety Bond provides ERISA fidelity bond services for Trident Retirement Services clients. The company offers a dedicated purchase link for plan sponsors to obtain required fidelity bond coverage, supporting regulatory compliance requirements for retirement plans.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Schwab Retirement Plan Services: Charles Schwab's retirement plan recordkeeping and administration arm serving 401(k) and other workplace plans. A large incumbent competing for plan sponsors Trident targets.
• Empower Retirement: National retirement plan recordkeeper and administrator serving workplace plans across all sizes. Competes with Trident for mid-market 401(k) sponsors with a much broader, technology-led product suite.
• Ascensus: One of the largest independent recordkeeping and TPA providers in the U.S., serving 401(k), 403(b), IRA, and PEP markets. A scaled incumbent competing for the same plan-sponsor relationships as Trident, but with national reach and integrated recordkeeping.
• Paychex Retirement Services: 401(k) and retirement plan administration business built into Paychex's payroll and HR platform for SMBs. Direct overlap with Trident's small-business employer target segment.
• ADP Retirement Services: Integrated payroll + 401(k) recordkeeping and administration provider targeting small and mid-sized employers. Competes with Trident by bundling administration into a broader payroll platform.
• Fidelity Workplace Investing: Fidelity's workplace retirement business provides recordkeeping and administration for employer-sponsored plans of all sizes. Adjacent incumbent that Trident competes against for mid-market plan sponsors.

Emerging players

• Vestwell: Digital retirement plan platform expanding into pooled employer plans (PEPs) and small-business 401(k) administration. Represents the emerging technology-led wave of TPA and recordkeeping competitors that could pressure traditional independent TPAs like Trident.

Direct peers

• ERISA Advisors: Independent third-party administrator focused on 401(k) and 403(b) plan design, compliance testing, and Form 5500 filings for small-to-mid employers. Closely mirrors Trident's independent, compliance-centric TPA model and target customer.
• Sentinel Benefits & Financial Group: Mid-sized independent TPA and retirement plan advisory firm providing 401(k), 403(b), and defined benefit administration for employer plan sponsors. Highly comparable to Trident as an independent, consulting-led 401(k) administrator serving small and mid-sized businesses.
• Benefit Consultants Group: Independent retirement plan administration firm serving small and mid-sized plan sponsors with compliance, consulting, and plan design services. Directly comparable to Trident in scope, target market, and consultative sales motion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/trident-retirement-services-llc

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 Trident Retirement Services, Llc