The Rise in PEPs and Increased Demand for 3(16) Services

With the growth of Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs), demand for 3(16) administrative services has surged. Plan sponsors are seeking providers who can take on fiduciary responsibility, streamline compliance, and reduce the operational burden that comes with administering retirement plans.

This shift is creating more business for Retirement Plan Consultants (formerly known as TPAs). RPCs bring consultative expertise, operational precision, and fiduciary focus to a landscape where plan sponsors expect more than ever before.

Why RPCs Are Critical Partners for Recordkeepers and Advisors

PEPs and 3(16) services require a higher level of trust, accountability, and compliance oversight. Recordkeepers and advisors can’t deliver these solutions alone. They need RPCs who:

  • Absorb complexity: RPCs step into the fiduciary role, managing details so advisors and recordkeepers can focus on strategy and relationships.
  • Ensure compliance: With growing regulatory scrutiny, RPCs provide the expertise required to keep plans aligned with ERISA and SECURE 2.0 standards.
  • Elevate client experience: RPCs don’t just process paperwork. They partner with recordkeepers and advisors to deliver a seamless, high-touch experience for plan sponsors.

In short: working with RPCs allows recordkeepers and advisors to serve their plan sponsor clients with confidence.

How the Asteri Collective Raises the Bar

Not all RPCs operate at the same level. That’s where the Asteri Collective makes the difference. Membership is more than a name; it’s a commitment.

Every Asteri firm adheres to shared best practices and high standards that ensure:

  • Impeccable client care: Member companies treat every client interaction as mission-critical.
  • Operational excellence: From 3(16) fiduciary oversight to plan design, standards are consistently high across the network.
  • Technology-forward processes: Collective knowledge-sharing ensures member firms are always leveraging the best tools and integrations.
  • National reach, local expertise: Coast to coast, Asteri firms deliver the same caliber of client service that recordkeepers and advisors can rely on.

Why Recordkeepers, Broker-Dealers, and Advisors Look to Asteri

For those serving plan sponsors, the stakes have never been higher. Fiduciary expectations are growing, cyber risks are rising, and sponsors demand flawless execution.

By working with Asteri Collective member companies, recordkeepers and advisors gain:

  • A trusted partner network that takes on fiduciary duties with precision.
  • A client experience advantage, high-touch service backed by shared practices and national scale.
  • A future-ready partner that understands how technology, PEPs, and 3(16) services are reshaping the industry.

The Bottom Line

The role of the TPA is evolving, and the Retirement Plan Consultant is leading the way. As 3(16) services become central to plan success, advisors and recordkeepers can’t afford to partner with firms that aren’t operating at the highest standard.

The Asteri Collective is redefining what best-in-class looks like: coast-to-coast firms, united by collaboration, committed to excellence, and raising the bar for the entire industry.

Because when client care, compliance, and fiduciary responsibility matter most, the future belongs to RPCs.