What Is a Pooled Employer Plan?
A Pooled Employer Plan (PEP) allows multiple dental practices to participate in a single, professionally managed 401(k) plan rather than maintaining individual standalone plans.
Rather than managing complex testing, filings, and investment oversight on your own, your practice joins a collective structure where experienced specialists handle the administrative and fiduciary responsibilities. Your team receives a robust 401(k) benefit — with far less burden placed on your practice.
Why Dental Practices Choose the PEP
Dental practices across North Carolina and Virginia are turning to the PEP because it delivers meaningful advantages.
- Less Administrative Work: Day-to-day plan administration is streamlined, reducing total responsibilities from dozens down to 3.
- Reduced Fiduciary Exposure: Fiduciary responsibilities for investments and administration are delegated to designated professionals, helping limit employer liability while maintaining ERISA compliance.
- Lower Costs Through Scale: Pooling assets with other dental practices creates economies of scale and access to institutional pricing.
- Stronger Employee Engagement: Professional investment management and ongoing education help employees better understand and value their retirement benefit.
The PEP Team: Clearly Defined Roles
A PEP brings together specialized partners, each responsible for a specific function.
Compass Financial Group serves as the plan’s ERISA 3(38) Investment Manager and Financial Advisor, assuming fiduciary responsibility for investment oversight and guiding employers through the entire transition process.
The PEP’s administrative partners, Voya & Definiti, manage compliance, filings, testing, and daily operations.
Employers remain involved at a high level without managing the plan.
Fiduciary Investment Oversight—Handled with Care and Clarity
Choosing and monitoring retirement plan investments is one of the most consequential fiduciary responsibilities an employer faces under ERISA. It’s also one of the easiest to get wrong without dedicated expertise. At Compass Financial Group, we don’t just advise on investments — we take responsibility for them.
By serving as your discretionary ERISA 3(38) Investment Manager, we accept fiduciary responsibility for investment selection, monitoring, and due diligence.
What that means for you:
- Investment decisions are made by a qualified fiduciary — not pushed back onto your desk
- Funds are regularly monitored and adjusted when necessary, not left on autopilot
- Your exposure to day-to-day investment liability is significantly reduced
Just as important, we remain your financial advisor and strategic partner. We lead clear, thoughtful plan reviews, explain what’s happening (and why), and help ensure your retirement plan for dentists supports your broader goals — from attracting and retaining staff to planning for your own future.
You stay informed. You stay confident. And you never feel like you’re navigating it alone.
Ready to Explore Your Options?
Interested in whether the Dental PEP could benefit your practice? Contact Christian Hill CFPA today to go over the details.
Contact Christian however you prefer:
Email: christian.hill@compassfinancialgrp.com
Call: (919) 714-7491
Text: (919) 850-5914
