Service 06
Third Party Administration
401(k) plan design, documents, Form 5500, and compliance testing — kept current, kept compliant.
Overview
Sponsoring a retirement plan is one of the strongest benefits a small employer can offer, and one of the easiest to fall out of compliance with. Testing deadlines, document restatements, and Form 5500 filings all arrive on their own schedule regardless of how busy the year has been.
As a third party administrator, we handle plan design, documentation, annual testing, and government filings so your 401(k) does what you intended: attract and keep good people, and move meaningful savings into their accounts and yours.
What this engagement includes
- Retirement plan design
- Plan document preparation and restatements
- Form 5500 preparation
- Annual compliance and non-discrimination testing
- Maximizing retirement and tax savings
- Retirement consulting services
Questions we're asked
Third Party Administration — frequently asked questions
What does a third party administrator do?
A TPA handles the operational and compliance side of a retirement plan: writing and maintaining the plan document, running annual non-discrimination and coverage testing, calculating contributions, and preparing the Form 5500. The TPA is separate from the investment provider that custodies the assets.
What is Form 5500 and when is it due?
Form 5500 is the annual return/report filed for most employer retirement plans. For calendar-year plans it is generally due July 31, with an extension available to October 15 on Form 5558. We prepare and coordinate the filing as part of our TPA services.
Can a small business realistically offer a 401(k)?
Yes — and plan designs such as safe harbor arrangements are built specifically to make it workable for smaller employers by simplifying testing. Start-up tax credits can also offset a meaningful share of the initial cost. We model the options against your census before you commit.
Can you administer our plan and audit it too?
Independence rules govern which firm may perform a required plan audit, so we scope that carefully at the outset and tell you plainly which services we can and cannot combine for your plan.
Keep exploring
Other services from our firm
- 01
Tax Preparation
Individual, business, trust, and non-profit returns — filed accurately and planned for year-round, not just in April.
Read more - 02
Audit & Accounting
Audits, reviews, and financial statement services for non-profits, benefit plans, construction, and small business.
Read more - 03
CFO & Consulting
Fractional CFO, controller, and high-level advisory support — ongoing or for a single project.
Read more - 04
Payroll & Bookkeeping
Automated payroll, clean books, and QuickBooks setup so the back office stops consuming your week.
Read more - 05
IT Consulting
Network design, backups, disaster recovery, and cyber safeguards from consultants who also know your books.
Read more
Free initial consultation
Let's talk about where you stand.
A short conversation is usually enough to tell whether we're the right firm for your situation. There's no charge for the first one.