Simplify retirement plans for your clients with our 401(k) pooled employer plan (PEP)

Equitable Retirement AccessSM 401(k) pooled employer plan (PEP)

A 401(k) plan for small businesses that reduces fiduciary and administrative burdens and provides opportunities employers and plan participants.

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We put all the pieces together, so you don’t have to.

Our 401(k) pooled employer plan (PEP) provides companies with a fully integrated way to deliver retirement benefits to their employees. Equitable Retirement Accesssm 401(k) pooled employer plan is a 401(k) solution that reduces management responsibilities and risk while streamlining and delegating plan administration to the experts – allowing employers to focus on more strategic priorities. 

Why your clients should join a PEP

Forty percent of small business employers don’t offer retirement benefits due to plan costs, administration and the need to manage plan investments.1

Small businesses are generally concerned with three things when it comes to sponsoring a retirement plan: cost, fiduciary risk and administrative burden. Equitable Retirement Accesssm 401(k) retirement plan for small businesses removes those barriers, bringing high-quality, cost-effective retirement plan benefits to your clients.

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Benefits for employers

  • Economies of scale — Through the bundling of services and merging of multiple employers in a single plan, costs are significantly reduced.
  • Reduction in fiduciary responsibilities — Professional fiduciaries are assigned to oversee plan governance, compliance testing, investments and more.
  • Administrative ease — Business operations are streamlined by outsourcing the majority of retirement plan administration. 
  • Simplified payroll — Our solution includes a concierge service that streamlines the employers payroll management tasks.
  • Ability to offer TDF/CIT funds a a QDIA option — Retirement MilestonesSM provides a cost-effective, flexible and customizable investment option.
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Benefits for employees

  • Dynamic, easy-to-use participant website.
  • Full suite of participant educational materials.
  • In-person and virtual enrollment and financial wellness seminars.
  • Simple, convenient, lower-risk investment option with Retirement MilestonesSM.

Why choose Equitable Retirement Accesssm 401(k) PEP

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Professional management

You don’t have to be a retirement plan expert to offer your clients the best. With Equitable Retirement Accesssm 401(k) PEP, you get peace of mind knowing that professionals are servicing your clients, with pre-selected 3(38), 3(16) and 402(a) fiduciaries on the plan.

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Efficiency and scalability

Save time and manage multiple small business 401(k) retirement plans efficiently with our pooled employee plan. Think of it as an “EZ button” for retirement plans, featuring one fund lineup, one TPA, one plan design and built-in fiduciaries. The pooled plan provider (PPP) takes on most of the fiduciary responsibility, allowing you to focus on growing your business and serving your small business clients.

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Target Date Fund/CIT as QDIA option

Co-manufactured by Equitable Financial, Fidelity Investments and Great Gray Trust Company, Retirment MilestonesSM is a professionally managed collective investment trust (CIT) solution strategically designed to shift asset allocations as each portfolio approaches and passes its target date. A portion of each portfolio's investment is allocated to a stable value fund backed by the financial strength of Equitable Financial. 

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Selling upmarket

Equitable Retirement AccessSM 401(k) PEP is particularly beneficial for companies with 100 or more employees, especially those looking to avoid the high costs associated with retirement plan audits. We cover the cost of annual plan audits and collect the necessary data throughout the year, significantly lowering expenses and administrative hassle.

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Simplified payroll

Our solution includes a concierge service that streamlines the employers payroll management tasks. MAP Retirement, experienced payroll managers, will scrub payroll files for accuracy, upload them to the recordkeeper and update the payroll provider with new data (participant deferrals, enrollments, loan payments, etc.) every payroll period. This eliminates another labor-intensive task usually left to small businesses.

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Strength and stability

Throughout our over 165-year history, we have helped clients prosper and persevere through all types of economic conditions, providing protection, guidance and strategies — all with the expectation of perpetual capital strength and stability. We are pioneers in innovation, experts in retirement strategies and one of America’s leading financial services companies in risk management. 

Equitable group retirement in the news

From policy shifts to plan innovations, Head of Group Retirement, Jim Kais, breaks down what's new and what's next in the 401(k) world. Don't miss his expert take. 

401(k) specialist

July 15, 2025 - Why PEPs are gaining ground - and what that means for the future of MEPs. Read more.

InvestmentNews

June 24, 2025 - Jim Kais talks about PEPs and business growth. Listen now.

World at work

June 05, 2025 - Why financial wellness benefits are more important than ever. Read more.

Philadelphia Inquierer

June 03, 2025 - The retirement plan option is growing in popularity with small business. Read more. 

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Dedicated experts to manage your plan

Equitable 401(k) Retirement AccessSM 401(k) PEP brings together a team of seasoned professional service firms that will assume almost all fiduciary responsibility on behalf of small business employers. The following leading service providers power our 401(k) PEP: 

  • Recordkeeper: Equitable
  • PPP, 3(16) and TPA: MAP Retirement
  • 3(38) Fiduciary: SWBC
  • Custodian and Trustee: Benefit Trust Company
  • Plan Notice Delivery Manager: Plan Notice, LLC

Ready to help your small business clients secure their financial futures?

Partner with Equitable, a name synonymous with trust and excellence for over 165 years. Simply complete the following form and we will instantly send you a proposal – including pricing.

Have questions about 401(k) retirement plan solutions?
Contact us today

Workplace Retirement Plan Sales Desk

(866) 401-3030

Select option 7

Monday - Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET
Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET

For financial professionals only. If you are an individual investor, please contact your financial professional for more information.

Need help with a Group Retirement Annuity product such as 401(k), 403(b), 457(b) plan or Equi-Vest account?

Call (800) 628-6673

1Pewtrusts.org. https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2024/07/small-employers-economics-of-offering-retirement-savings-plans.

For Financial Professional Use Only.

Products funding workplace retirement plans are issued by Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company (Equitable Financial) NY, NY. Equitable is the brand name of the retirement and protection subsidiaries of Equitable Holdings, Inc., including Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company (Equitable Financial) (NY, NY); Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company of America (Equitable America), an AZ stock company with an administrative office in Charlotte, NC; and Equitable Distributors, LLC. The obligations of Equitable Financial and Equitable America are backed solely by their claims-paying abilities. 

The Equitable Retirement AccessSM defined contribution program consists of a custodial account offered through Benefit Trust Company, within which plan participants' chosen mutual fund shares are held, as well as a group fixed annuity contract (generic form number 2016FA-MFrev, 2016FA-MF403b) issued by Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company (Equitable Financial). The Equitable Retirement AccessSM defined contribution program is distributed by Equitable Distributors, LLC (Equitable Distributors) and Equitable Network, LLC (Equitable Network Insurance Agency of California, LLC in CA; Equitable Network Insurance Agency of Utah, LLC in UT; Equitable Network of Puerto Rico, Inc. in PR). Equitable Financial and Equitable Distributors are located at 1345 Avenue of the Americas, NY, NY 10104, (212) 314-4600. Equitable Network, LLC is located at 8501 IBM Drive, Suite 150, Charlotte, NC 28262.Equitable Financial is solely responsible for meeting the obligations of the group fixed annuity contract. Equitable Financial and its affiliates do not provide legal or tax advice or services.  

Benefits Trust Company serves as custodian of mutual funds selected by plan participants. MAP Retirement acts as the pooled plan provider and plan sponsor, 3(16) plan administrator, named fiduciary, and entity responsible for performing all administrative duties. SWBC Retirement Plan Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of SWBC, which was established in 1976. Advisory services are offered by SWBC Investment Advisory Services, LLC, d/b/a SWBC Retirement Plan Services, an SEC-registered investment adviser. MAP Retirement, Benefit Trust Company, Plan Notice, LLC, and SWBC are not subsidiaries or affiliates of Equitable Holdings, Inc. 

GE-7371009.1 (10/2024) (Exp. 10/2028)