FEES
ERISA Fiduciary Fees
Our fee structure is transparent. We do not have any embedded or hidden fees. We are compensated solely by the fees paid by Plan Sponsors (employers). Most advisors charge a fee based on a percentage of assets under management to manage retirement plans. We, however, use a flat fee structure. Your Plan’s fee will vary depending on what type of a retirement plan you have. Defined Contribution Plan fee structure depends on which type of ERISA Fiduciary service your retirement plan will be using:
Plan Type | Annual Fees | One-Time Setup Fees |
---|---|---|
DC Plans - 3(38) ERISA Fiduciary | $2,500 + $200/Particpant | $2,500 + $100/Participant |
DC Plans - 3(21) ERISA Fiduciary | $2,500 - $20,000* | $2,500 to $10,000 |
*Click here for additional details |
For Defined Benefit (and Cash Balance) Plans, we charge 70 bps (0.70%) of plan assets with a minimum annual fee of $2,500 and:
Plan Asset Value | Maximum Annual Fee |
---|---|
Between $0 - $5M | $5,000 |
Between $5M - $10M | $10,000 |
Between $10M - $15M | $15,000 |
Greater than $15M | $20,000 |
One-Time Setup Fee of $2,500 |
For new and start-up Defined Contribution plans, we charge 70 bps (0.70%) of plan assets. While we believe the flat fee structure is the most beneficial compensation method, we understand that our flat dollar fees can be a significant amount (percentage-wise) for new plans so we offer this alternate fee structure till plan assets reach a certain threshold. Call us for more details if you are starting a new plan.
Additional fees apply for the optional Self-Directed Brokerage Accounts (SDBAs). Please visit the Self-Directed Brokerage Accounts page for more details.
Recordkeeper, Administrator, and Custodian Fees
Recordkeeping, Administrator, and Custodian fees are in addition to our annual ERISA Fiduciary fee. VRPA’s Bundled and Unbundled package fees as follows:

Bundled Package
Number of Participants | Base Fee | Per Participant Fee |
---|---|---|
Up to 15 participants | $3,825 | |
16–50 participants | $3,825 | + $75 per participant above 15 participants |
51–100 participants | $6,450 | + $70 per participant above 50 participants |
101–500 participants | $9,950 | + $65 per participant above 100 participants |
501–1K participants | $35,950 | + $60 per participant above 500 participants |
>1K participants | $65,950 | + $55 per participant above 1,000 participants |
Unbundled Package
Number of Participants | Base Fee | Per Participant Fee |
---|---|---|
Up to 15 participants | $2,750 | |
16–50 participants | $2,750 | + $70 per participant above 15 participants |
51–100 participants | $5,200 | + $65 per participant above 50 participants |
101–500 participants | $8,450 | + $60 per participant above 100 participants |
501–1K participants | $32,450 | + $55 per participant above 500 participants |
>1K participants | $59,950 | + $50 per participant above 1,000 participants |
Under VRPA’s Bundled option, they charge a one-time flat fee of $1,000 for new plans and $1,500 for existing plans. Under their Unbundled option, they charge a one-time flat fee of $500 for new plans and $850 for existing plans.
If you select the VRPA’s Unbundled package or have a Defined Benefit or a Cash Balance Plan, you will be required to hire an Administrator other than VRPA. We have partnered with Farmer & Betts to provide Administrator services for plans that use VRPA’s Unbundled package or have a DB or a CB Plan. Below is their fee schedule:
Annual Fee | ||
---|---|---|
Administrator Service Type | Base Fee | Per Participant Fee |
401(k) & Profit Sharing Plan Only | $1,500 | $30 |
401(k) & Profit Sharing Plan with a Defined Benefit Plan | $3,550 | $50 |
401(k) & Profit Sharing Plan with Cash Balance Plan | $4,550 | $50 |
Defined Benefit Plan Only | $1,950 | $50 |
Cash Balance Plan Only | $2,950 | $50 |
One-Time Setup Fee | ||
---|---|---|
Administrator Service Type | Base Fee | Per Participant Fee |
401(k) & Profit Sharing Plan Only | $1,500 | $10 |
401(k) & Profit Sharing Plan with a Defined Benefit Plan | $2,750 | $20 |
401(k) & Profit Sharing Plan with Cash Balance Plan | $2,750 | $20 |
Defined Benefit Plan Only | $1,250 | $10 |
Cash Balance Plan Only | $1,250 | $10 |
One-Time Setup Fee Will Be Waived for Existing Plans. To get a fee estimate, use our Fee Calculator. |
Up to $16,500 in Tax Credits for Small Business Retirement Plans
Passed in 2020, SECURE Act has been one of the most comprehensive updates to retirement plans in more than a decade, and one of the major benefits is the Small Business Tax Credits component of the act.
Companies with up to 100 employees can claim a tax credit to offset startup costs associated with establishing a new 401(k) plan. Companies can get a tax credit of up to $5,000 per year for the first three years, with a maximum total credit of up to $15,000. Startup costs include:
- Annual and setup fees for Third-Party Administrator services
- Annual and setup fees for ERISA Fiduciary services
- Annual and setup fees for Recordkeeping services
Furthermore, there is also a $500 tax credit available for plans that add an automatic enrollment feature to a new or existing retirement plan for participants. This credit is also available for the first three years the feature is effective, with a maximum total credit of up to $1,500. This means that the total maximum eligible tax credit for establishing a 401(k) plan is $16,500 for the three years.
To learn more details about the IRS tax credits, click here.