SECURE 2.0

As organizations scale through acquisition, hiring, or expansion, retirement plan administration often becomes more demanding. What once felt routine can quickly require more coordination, more oversight, and more internal time than expected.

For many, the question isn’t whether to provide a retirement plan—it’s whether their current approach can keep pace with the demands of a growing business because as organizations expand, retirement administration often becomes increasingly complex and resource intensive. In these moments, Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs) are emerging more as viable options, offering a more coordinated way to manage complexity, streamline admin, and better position retirement programs for further expansion.

The scenarios below illustrate real-world PEP adoption examples and the moments that prompted employers to consider an alternative. While growth and organizational change are common catalysts, advisors are also seeing employers evaluate PEPs in response to administrative strain, fiduciary concerns, cost pressures, workforce objectives, and limited internal resources. Understanding these broader PEP adoption scenarios can help advisors recognize when a pooled plan conversation may be appropriate.

Pooled employer plans (PEP) are becoming harder to ignore.

What began as an alternative plan design is now drawing broader consideration, particularly among advisors working with future-focused organizations that face resource constraints. For these employers, PEPs can offer a different approach to plan administration and growth. This pooled employer plan trend also reflects changing expectations around efficiency, governance, and the role advisors play in helping clients evaluate plan structures.

At Ascensus, we’re harnessing the pooled plan momentum and started the PEP Rally to help advisors turn PEP adoption trends into high-energy and effective client conversations. Here, we’ll focus on how pooled employer plans are changing things—and what advisors should do with it. 

In retirement planning, timing is everything—but generic messaging rarely delivers. And while early AI usage in the industry focused on operational efficiency, it’s now shifting from output to outcomes by using participant behavior to power more personalized participant communications that determine what to say, when to say it, and who needs to hear it. The result: a tailored approach where advisors and plan sponsors deliver timely, targeted, and AI assisted messaging that drives more meaningful engagement and better reflects the individuals their plans serve.

Participants want an easier way to stay connected to their retirement savings—but often lack clear visibility into the tools available to them. This client-ready flyer helps advisors introduce the READYSAVE® participant engagement app and show how savers can monitor progress and take action from their mobile device.

Use this resource to support participant conversations, reinforce plan value, and encourage mobile adoption—without having to explain the technology in detail.

Download the READYSAVE Flyer

For financial advisors, practice growth often comes down to building the right relationships. One of the most valuable can be with a certified public accountant (CPA). Understanding the benefits of a CPA and financial advisor partnership  can help advisors expand their reach, strengthen client relationships, and support more connected financial conversations—without changing the role either professional plays.

Below are six reasons many advisors choose to work with CPAs.

Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs) are not a new concept in the retirement industry—but they are entering a new phase of relevance.

What began to help employers reduce administrative burden is now a PEP rally. Advisors are increasingly looking at PEPs not just as a solution for clients, but also as a way to rethink how they deliver value, scale their practice, and engage in meaningful conversations.

The shift is subtle, but important. 

At some point, every advisor runs into a situation that crosses into tax territory. A business sale. A big liquidity event. A client income picture that keeps changing year to year. You can clearly see the investment strategy. But the tax side is layered and nuanced. That’s where a strong CPA relationship can make a real difference.

You don’t need to be a tax expert. In fact, trying to be a “jack of all trades” can introduce risk and dilute your value. Clients don’t expect you to do everything, but they do expect you to build the right team around them.

A CPA advisory collaboration brings investment strategy and tax planning together in a way that feels more complete, more thoughtful, and more aligned to the client’s full financial picture.

Improve the tax season experience for your clients by aligning planning and tax preparation through a stronger collaboration with a CPA.

Filing Form 5500 accurately is one of the most critical compliance responsibilities plan sponsors face each year. Even small mistakes can trigger scrutiny, lead to costly penalties, or delay processing. The good news is that most Form 5500 filing errors are preventable, with the right preparation, tools, and advisor support.

Starting the Form 5500 process ahead of the deadline gives you and your clients time to catch discrepancies early and address them before they become bigger issues. Keeping thorough, up‑to‑date records—such as participant counts, financial reconciliations, and internal review procedures—strengthen fiduciary oversight and make the process more manageable. It also helps to understand where retirement plan compliance errors most often occur, and the steps that make the filing season smoother and more predictable for your clients.

Insights from Ascensus Executive Chairman David Musto

Artificial intelligence is reshaping retirement plan administration by improving data accuracy, streamlining operations, and delivering better outcomes for savers. In this video, Ascensus Executive Chairman David Musto shares how predictive analytics and intelligent automation are changing how retirement plans are designed, managed, and delivered. 

Technology developed in a vacuum rarely works in the retirement space.

Real progress happens when the people who use the tools — advisors, sponsors, and participants — shape them. That’s why Ascensus’ development approach and post launch assessment begin not with features, but with your feedback. 

Learn more about this year’s SECURE 2.0 changes and how to use them to differentiate your practice and deliver better client outcomes. 

Even as we settle into a new year, the retirement planning landscape continues to shift in response to a changing regulatory and policy environment, market volatility, inflation pressures, and numerous other factors. These changes can bring more complexity—and more opportunities—for advisors and their clients. And while advisors can’t control the markets or changing demographics, they can understand and navigate policy shifts in a way that helps drive the best possible outcomes for their clients.

The first step toward leveraging these policy shifts is understanding what’s changed. Enhanced contribution limits, a Roth-only catch-up requirement, evolving withdrawal strategies, and expanded incentives for small businesses are all redefining how advisors can support clients through this tax season and beyond. 

In today’s competitive financial advisory market, offering strong investment strategies alone may not be enough to differentiate your practice. Employers are increasingly seeking advisors who offer holistic retirement plan solutions—plans that not only manage assets but also enhance employee engagement and encourage healthier financial habits.

SEP and SIMPLE IRAs offers small businesses an easy, affordable way to provide retirement benefits without the administrative complexity of a 401(k). These plans give you straightforward options to support clients who want low-cost setup, predictable responsibilities, and valuable tax advantages.

The Balance Forward Individual(k) is a flexible solution for owner-only business clients that want full control over how their retirement assets are invested. With this option, clients manage their account directly through their broker-dealer, while Ascensus provides the plan documents, compliance support, and recordkeeping services.

Ascensus Essentials 3(38) is a streamlined retirement plan solution built for owner-only businesses. It combines automated plan administration with 3(38) fiduciary investment management, helping reduce oversight responsibilities. Advisors can offer clients a professionally monitored plan aligned to small business needs.

Explore how Ascensus Essentials Individual(k) with American Funds gives you a turnkey retirement solution tailored for owner-only clients. With no asset minimums, transparent pricing, and a professionally managed investment lineup, this plan makes it easy to offer a high-quality 401(k) option while reducing the administrative lift in your practice.

Use this resource to help small business clients understand the value of Ascensus Essentials Individual(k) with American Funds. With a curated investment lineup, transparent pricing, and streamlined administration, this overview explains how the plan works and why it may be a good fit for owner-only businesses looking for a professionally supported retirement plan.

The Ascensus Essentials 401(k) managed by Raymond James Direct 3(38) solution helps you strengthen your advisory role by pairing 3(38) investment oversight with streamlined plan administration. With Raymond James managing investment selection and Ascensus providing recordkeeping and compliance support, you can offer clients a 401(k) plan that reinforces your value as a trusted partner to small business clients.

Use this resource to help clients understand the value of the Ascensus Essentials 401(k) managed by Raymond James Direct 3(38). This turnkey solution simplifies plan management, provides professional 3(38) investment oversight, and offers employees access to a well-supported retirement plan experience.

Daily Value Individual(k) is a retirement plan option built for owner-only businesses that want daily valuation and broad investment access. With streamlined administration and an open-architecture investment platform, this 401(k) solution supports a flexible approach to managing investments for owner-only clients. 

Help your clients enhance employee financial well-being with Financial Wellness Essentials. This program offers personalized coaching, education tools, and engagement strategies that support long-term retirement readiness and help employees build financial resilience.

Financial advisors often guide small business owners through critical decisions about retirement plans. Understanding the differences between SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, and 401(k)s can help you recommend the best option based on business size, budget, and growth goals.