No Product Conflicts
Truly Independent
We don't sell investments, insurance, or recordkeeping. We will never compete with you for the client relationship. Our job is plan design and compliance — your job is the advice.
A TPA Your Clients Will Actually Thank You For Recommending
Independent Retirement works alongside financial advisors, CPAs, and benefits brokers as a white-glove TPA partner. No product conflicts. No channel competition. Just clean plan work that makes you look good.
Request a Plan ReviewWhy Partners Choose Us
Built for the Advisory Channel
Responsive Communication
Direct Access
Your clients get an assigned client success manager who picks up the phone. You get a partner who responds to your questions the same day — not a call center ticket system.
Flat-Fee Billing to Employers
Transparent
Our flat fee is based on service tier and participant count. Your clients always know what they're paying for TPA work, and their cost doesn't grow as plan balances increase.
For Financial Advisors
A TPA That Protects Your Investment Relationship
We handle the plan design, compliance, and administration so you can focus on the advisory relationship. No product overlap. No channel conflict. Just a partner who makes you look good.
Co-Branded Illustrations & Proposals
Your Brand Forward
Plan illustrations, contribution projections, and new business proposals can be co-branded with your firm. Your clients see you as the quarterback — because you are.
Dedicated Sales Support
Our Team + Yours
Our sales team works directly alongside yours to support prospecting, plan design conversations, and proposal development. We're an extension of your practice, not a vendor behind a portal.
Cash Balance & Complex Design
Specialist Expertise
Cash balance combos, New Comparability, controlled group testing — these are the plans that need an experienced, independent TPA. We design strategies that maximize owner benefits while keeping costs manageable for the broader team.
Investment Relationship Protection
Zero Conflict
We don't sell investments or recordkeeping. We will never compete with you for the investment relationship. Period. Your clients stay your clients.
For CPAs & Accounting Firms
Plan Design That Aligns With Tax Strategy
Retirement plan design and tax planning go hand in hand. We work alongside your firm to ensure plan contributions, deductions, and compliance timelines align with your client's overall tax strategy.
Tax Strategy Alignment
Coordinated
We coordinate contribution calculations and plan design recommendations with your tax planning timeline. Year-end contribution projections are delivered when you need them — not after the filing deadline.
Cash Balance Expertise
High-Deduction Plans
For clients who want to maximize deductions, a cash balance plan layered on top of a 401(k) can generate six-figure annual contributions. We model the numbers so you can advise on the tax impact.
Simple Referral Process
No Friction
Send us your client's plan details and we'll take it from there. Within 24 hours, you'll have a customized proposal to share with your client. If needed, we can provide plan illustrations, recordkeeper cost comparisons, and other collateral — presented by you or jointly. We have dedicated implementation support when they say yes.
For Benefits Brokers
Add Retirement Plan TPA to Your Benefits Offering
Your clients already trust you with their health and benefits strategy. Adding a retirement plan TPA partner lets you bring more value to the table — without taking on compliance liability or competing product lines.
No Competition With Your Lines
Complementary
We don't sell insurance, health plans, or any benefits products. Retirement plan administration is a natural complement to your benefits offering, and we never cross into your territory.
Turnkey for Your Clients
Full Service
Plan design, compliance testing, Form 5500, amendments, participant support, and distribution processing. We handle the full retirement plan back office so your clients have a single point of contact for TPA work.
Strengthen the Client Relationship
Added Value
When your clients need a retirement plan — or their current TPA is underperforming — you can recommend a partner you trust. That deepens the relationship and keeps you at the center of their benefits strategy.
The Partner Experience
What Your Clients Get
IRS Representation Included
No Surprises
If a client's plan gets audited, we handle the IRS correspondence at no additional charge. Your client doesn't get a surprise bill, and you don't get a panicked phone call.
Full Compliance Package
Turnkey
Plan design, testing, Form 5500, amendments, participant support, and distribution processing. We handle the full back office so you can focus on the advisory relationship.
Proactive Plan Design
Not Reactive
We can model plan design changes proactively, recommend contribution strategies that maximize owner benefits, and flag issues before they become problems.
How Fintech TPAs Fail the Advisory Channel
Platforms like Human Interest, Guideline, and Vestwell have entered the 401(k) space with technology-forward solutions. But they're built for direct-to-employer sales or payroll integrations — not for the advisory channel. When your client needs a custom plan design, a combo cash balance strategy, or responsive support for a DOL audit, a tech platform gives them a ticket queue. We give them a person.
FAQ
Common Questions
Do you offer referral fees or revenue-sharing?
No. We are fully independent and do not pay referral fees or share revenue with advisors, CPAs, or any other party. Our independence is what makes the partnership valuable — your clients know you referred them for the right reasons.
Can you handle complex plan designs like cash balance combos?
Yes. Complex plan design is where we do our best work. Cash balance, New Comparability, combo plans, controlled group testing — these are the plans that need an experienced, independent TPA, not a software platform.
How do you coordinate with our firm on client communication?
We establish a communication protocol with each advisory partner. Typically, we copy you on all major client communications, provide advance notice of compliance issues, and schedule joint calls for annual plan reviews.
What if our client already has a recordkeeper?
We work with any recordkeeper. If the client is happy with their current platform, we integrate with it. If they're looking for a change, we can recommend options based on their needs — but the investment decision stays with you and the client.
I'm a benefits broker. Do I need to understand retirement plans to refer clients?
Not at all. Just make the introduction — we handle the plan design conversation, explain options to the client, and keep you informed throughout. You get the credit for the referral without needing to be a retirement plan expert.
Looking for a TPA partner that won't compete with you? Let's talk.
45 Minutes
No Obligation
Written Analysis
Request a Plan Review