Flat-Fee Pricing That Doesn't Scale With AUM
Predictable Costs
As your employees' balances grow, your TPA costs shouldn't. We charge based on service tier and participant count — not assets under management. No hidden fees.
401(k) Plans for Tech Companies That Don't Want a Fintech TPA
You chose independent tools for your tech stack. Do the same for your retirement plan. Flat-fee, independent administration with no asset-based billing to employers and no product lock-in.
Request a Plan ReviewThe Case Against Bundled Providers
Why Tech Companies Choose an Independent TPA Over Fintech Platforms
Fintech 401(k) platforms like Human Interest, Guideline, and Vestwell market simplicity. And for a basic Safe Harbor plan with under 50 employees, they deliver. But as your company scales, you start hitting the walls: asset-based fees that grow with your plan, limited plan design options, no actuarial capabilities for cash balance, and support that routes to a ticket queue instead of a person. Independent Retirement gives you the flexibility of a traditional TPA with the responsiveness of a firm that treats every client like their most important one.
What Tech Companies Get From Us
Flexible Plan Design for Growing Teams
Scales With You
Start with a simple Safe Harbor 401(k). As you grow and raise funding rounds, layer on profit-sharing, Roth options, or a cash balance plan for founders. We grow with you.
Recordkeeper Agnostic
No Lock-In
We work with any recordkeeper. Voya Financial, Empower, Fidelity, John Hancock, Principal, American Funds, and more. If you want to switch later, we manage the transition.
Founder-Friendly Strategy
Maximize Owner Benefits
For founder-owned companies, we design plans that maximize founder contributions while managing costs for the broader team. This is especially valuable post-exit when income spikes.
When You'll Outgrow a Fintech Platform
Most tech companies start with a fintech 401(k) provider and hit friction at 50–100 employees or when founders want to add a cash balance plan. The platform can't do it, the support team doesn't understand it, and suddenly you're shopping for a real TPA. We see this transition regularly and handle it smoothly.
FAQ
Common Questions
We're pre-revenue. Is it too early for a 401(k)?
Not if you're hiring. A 401(k) is a meaningful recruiting tool in the tech talent market. Many venture-backed startups set up a plan before their first revenue dollar. We offer startup-friendly pricing for smaller plans.
Can you integrate with our payroll provider?
Yes. We work with Gusto, Rippling, ADP, Paychex, and others. Integration typically means automated census data feeds and contribution calculations that reduce manual HR work.
What happens if we get acquired?
Plan mergers and terminations are common in M&A. We've handled dozens of acquisition-related plan transitions and can manage the compliance requirements from the first LOI through plan termination or merger.
How do you compare to Guideline or Human Interest on price?
Our flat fee is typically comparable to or lower than what these platforms charge once you factor in their asset-based fees. A plan with $5 million in assets paying 0.25–0.50% to the platform is paying $12,500–$25,000 per year on top of the base fee. Our employer invoice doesn't increase as assets grow.
Building a retirement plan for your tech team? Let's design something better than a platform.
45 Minutes
No Obligation
Written Analysis
Request a Plan Review