Integrated Partners, Massachusetts Society of CPAs Join Forces to Bring Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs) to MA CPA Firms

• 55 million Americans do not have access to a retirement plan from their employer – PEPs aim to change this.

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Integrated Partners, a national financial planning and registered investment advisory firm, with advisory and brokerage assets of approximately $9 billion, announced today that it has teamed with the Massachusetts Society of CPAs (MSCPA) to bring Pooled Employer Plans (PEP) to their members, in an effort to bring access to lower cost employer-sponsored retirement plans to more Americans.

Recent Congressional legislation passed via the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act has enabled small and medium businesses to offer these PEPs in an easier, cheaper and more efficient way, greatly increasing their appeal. Lack of access to a quality retirement plan option isn’t fair for employees, as it affects their long-term quality of life, and failure to offer an appealing solution hurts employers as well, by way of poor team retention. And yet many business owners view traditional retirement plans to be cost-prohibitive and an administrative burden.

“Congress and the IRS noticed this 55 million coverage gap out there and recognized that this is a big deal. We as an industry have said for years that we needed to remove these hurdles for business owners,” said William D. Hackler, Integrated Partners' Retirement Plan Specialist and the founder of the Integrated 401(k). “Those hurdles have now been removed by this legislation, paving the way for Pooled Employer Plans – it is vital that business owners be made aware.”

A Pooled Employer Plan provides significant benefits and cost savings for business owners:

• Tax benefits for your business and your employees
• Outside administration support via a Third-Party Administrator (TPA)
• Objective advice and support from a local financial advisor
• Reduced overall implementation costs and annual administrative expenses
• Benefits can be accessed by employers with existing retirement plans

“We wanted to add value to our member firms in a way that helped them retain talent and be able to focus more on growing their businesses,” said Amy Pitter, President and CEO, MSCPA. “Integrated and their advisors have been a longtime trusted partner to our CPAs. So, when we heard they were launching a PEP it was a no brainer to bring this to our members as a benefit.”

“We are always looking for ways to help our financial advisors, CPAs and business owner clients to more closely align,” said Andree Peterson, Chief Implementation Officer. “To have the resources and talent available with which to build out our own PEP and then to partner with an excellent organization like MSCPA, to make this available to even more business owners in Massachusetts, is truly an honor.”

In today’s competitive environment, retaining key employees is critical. If a business does not already have a pre-tax program in place, chances are it is because they are known to be too expensive, the owners simply do not have time to be burdened with the plan administration or they thought their company was too small to have one. Pooled Employer Plans render all of these barriers to establishing a high-quality retirement plan for small to mid-sized businesses, obsolete.

About Integrated Partners

Since 1996, Integrated Partners has been helping financial advisors to achieve their entrepreneurial vision. We offer comprehensive business building services, designed with the truly independent advisor in mind. With one hundred and fifty advisors, one hundred and twenty-seven CPAs and forty-five regional offices across the United States, and approximately $9 billion in brokerage and advisory assets, Integrated has built our reputation advisor by advisor, client by client. Constructed and grown upon a foundation of empowerment, integrity, and trust, we believe in the incredible power that financial advisors have to make a positive impact on people’s lives. Integrated supports advisors by offering a completely customizable open architecture business environment: technology, investment management, advanced planning, CPA partner program, family office platform, custody, marketing, public relations, M&A, succession planning and comprehensive business counsel.

Securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advice offered through Integrated Financial Partners, a registered investment advisor. MSCPA, Integrated Partners and Integrated Financial Partners separate entity from LPL Financial.

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