Human Resources Industry Outlook 2026
Discover the major trends redefining human resources in 2026; from AI adoption and skills-based workforce design to compliance shifts and leadership transformation.
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Pooled Employer Plan
Simplify retirement plan compliance while offering employees a benefit worth having with a pooled employer plan
For many states, retirement mandates are here – and for many others, they are on the way. If your business doesn’t already offer a qualified retirement plan, you’re facing a deadline. But compliance is just the starting point. The real question is whether you can meet that requirement in a way that actually helps your business attract talent, support employees, and avoid unnecessary administrative burden.
A Pooled Employer Plan lets you do all three.
Could a Pooled Employer Plan Be Your Solution?
A Pooled Employer Plan offers a fundamentally different approach to retirement benefits. Instead of operating a standalone 401(k) plan with all the accompanying responsibilities, multiple employers combine their resources into a single, professionally administered retirement plan.
Is a PEP the right solution for your specific situation? That’s where BPM’s advisory services come in. We help you evaluate whether this structure truly addresses your challenges or if alternative approaches might serve you better.
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Why Businesses Are Choosing PEPs
A PEP structure shifts the complexity of retirement plan management off your plate while giving your employees access to a meaningful benefit. Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Reduced Fiduciary Liability
The Pooled Plan Provider assumes most of the fiduciary responsibility that would otherwise fall on you—investment selection, monitoring, fee benchmarking, and plan governance become their legal obligation, not yours.
Eliminated Administrative Burden
No Form 5500 filing. No compliance testing. No managing plan document updates or processing participant loans and distributions. The PEP handles it.
No Audit Requirements
Even if your employee count would normally trigger an independent audit requirement, participating in a PEP removes that obligation from your plate entirely.
Better Plan Features
Pooled buying power means access to institutional-quality investment options and administrative pricing that standalone small plans can't typically achieve. Your employees get a better retirement benefit.
Flexibility to Match Your Workforce
Unlike one-size-fits-all programs, a PEP allows you to customize plan design elements—including employer matching—to fit your compensation strategy and talent goals.
How BPM Guides You Through Every Stage
Not every business benefits from moving to a Pooled Employer Plan. The decision requires careful analysis of your current situation, actual costs, workforce needs, and strategic objectives. BPM provides guidance through three distinct phases:
Strategic Evaluation
Before recommending any solution, we assess whether a PEP actually fits your situation. We analyze your current plan (if any), workforce demographics, growth trajectory, and business objectives. If a different approach makes more sense, we’ll tell you.
Implementation and Transition
When a PEP is the right path, we manage the details: plan design consultation, provider selection, compliance guidance, payroll integration, and employee communication. You stay informed at decision points without getting buried in logistics.
Ongoing Advisory Partnership
Your needs will evolve. BPM stays engaged to help you navigate plan design changes, regulatory developments, and business events that affect your retirement benefits strategy.
Think of us as your ongoing retirement plan advisory team – available when you need guidance without adding to your administrative burden.
Ready to determine if a Pooled Employer Plan makes sense for your business? Contact BPM to schedule a comprehensive evaluation of your current retirement plan situation and explore your options.
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