Transamerica Commemorates 25 Years of Pooled Plans, Enhancing Access to Retirement Benefits

Transamerica Celebrates 25 Years in Pooled Plans

Transamerica is celebrating its 25th anniversary in the pooled plan market, having significantly influenced the way employers expand access to workplace retirement benefits. This celebration emphasizes a quarter-century of commitment to helping Americans better prepare for their financial futures amid evolving retirement needs.

In recent years, pooled plan solutions have emerged as a vital option for businesses interested in offering retirement benefits to their employees. Recognizing this demand, Transamerica is ramping up its investments in resources, personnel, and capabilities dedicated to strengthening its pooled plan offerings. This initiative seeks to bolster the specialized support available to employers, advisors, and distribution partners navigating the complex landscape of retirement planning.

Darren Zino, Head of Retirement Distribution at Transamerica, reflected on the company's journey, states, "Over the last 25 years, we've learned that the best pooled plan solutions are created by focusing on employers' actual needs and the obstacles they face. We have built the necessary resources and insights to help employers confidently manage retirement benefit offerings. By leveraging our experience and driving innovation, we aim to simplify the complexities associated with retirement plans, thereby enabling more employers to provide workplace benefits and empowering a greater number of Americans to save for their future."

Meeting Employers' Challenges

Workplace retirement plans stand as one of the most critical means for Americans to save for retirement; however, numerous employers encounter administrative, fiduciary, and operational hurdles in providing these benefits. A report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that 41% of private-sector employees at companies with fewer than 100 employees do not have access to retirement benefits.

Transamerica's pooled retirement solutions address these gaps by mitigating complexities linked to offering workplace retirement plans. Over its 25 years in this space, Transamerica has consistently enhanced its capabilities by gathering feedback from employers and their participants, collaborating with various stakeholders in the industry, and investing in solutions that cater to evolving needs.

Initially focused on Multiple Employer Plans (MEPs) and other group solutions, Transamerica's offerings evolved to include Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs) in line with the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act of 2019, which has been pivotal in transforming the pooled plan market.

Transamerica's success in this sector is exemplified by the robust support of specialized teams across various domains, including client engagement, fiduciary services, legal, marketing, operations, product development, recordkeeping, and sales. The company collaborates closely with third-party administrators, advisors, and other retirement partners to thoroughly understand the needs of employers and facilitate their objectives.

Data from PLANSPONSOR's 2026 Recordkeeping Survey further illustrates Transamerica's success, ranking the company first in the number of PEP-adopting employers for the second consecutive year and establishing itself as a leader across multiple metrics relevant to pooled plans. Notably, the firm recorded substantial growth in both pooled plan assets and the number of participants, indicating a bright future for retirement savings.

Expanding Pooled Plan Opportunities

As demand for pooled plans continues to surge, Transamerica is enhancing the integration of its pooled plan solutions within its broader retirement system. This initiative is aimed at connecting expertise across product development, distribution, operations, and client support sectors to better cater to the requirements of employers and their retirement plan partners.

Under Stanley Kim, Director and Pooled Plan Practice Leader, these strategies are designed to leverage Transamerica's existing resources while capitalizing on its 25 years of experience in this critical market. Kim notes, "Pooled plans can help alleviate many of the challenges associated with offering retirement benefits, making them increasingly attractive to employers. As the push for these solutions intensifies, we're focusing on strengthening support for employers and expanding access to retirement savings for more employees."

Given current research from the Transamerica Institute, nearly half (48%) of employers without a standalone retirement plan express interest in adopting PEPs, MEPs, or defined contribution groups as an alternative. To raise awareness among employers and advisors regarding the benefits and functionality of pooled plans, Transamerica has launched an advertising campaign that sheds light on how these offerings can enhance access to workplace retirement benefits.

As the landscape of retirement needs evolves, Transamerica is melding its 25 years of pooled plan expertise with new insights and innovative strategies to aid a growing number of employers in providing retirement benefits, thereby increasing accessibility to retirement savings for countless Americans.