One source of truth
Testing, filings and billing read the same census and ledger, so a fix made once is reflected everywhere.
FOR TPA OWNERS AND OPERATIONS LEADERS
Integrated TPA administration and recordkeeping.
Stop reconciling your own systems against each other. KinetiPlan keeps plan administration and the participant ledger in one data model, so every payroll file is validated once and every later step uses the same records.
THE SHORT ANSWER
What integrated administration and recordkeeping means.
Integrated TPA administration and recordkeeping means the plan's administrative data (provisions, census, eligibility, testing, deadlines, filings) and its recordkeeping data (contributions, participant balances, transactions, settlements) live in one system and one data model. A payroll file is validated once, posted once, and the same records drive testing, Form 5500 and billing.
The alternative, which most independent TPAs run today, is a separate recordkeeping platform plus separate administration and testing tools, connected by exports, spreadsheets and re-keying. That model works, but every boundary needs a reconciliation step and a person to do it.
SIDE BY SIDE
Integrated versus separate systems
| Work step | Separate systems | Integrated (KinetiPlan approach) |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll file arrives | Loaded to the recordkeeper; a copy is checked in a spreadsheet | Validated against the plan census at upload, then posted to the ledger |
| Census for testing | Exported from the recordkeeper and payroll, merged and cleaned by hand | Already on the plan record, with year-to-date contributions from posted payroll |
| ADP/ACP and limit testing | Run in a separate testing tool from the merged file | Run on the plan's own census and ledger data |
| Corrections | Calculated in the testing tool, keyed back into the recordkeeper | Corrective items listed with deadlines on the same plan record |
| Form 5500 | Data re-keyed or imported into a forms product | Generated from the plan record and filed directly with EFAST2 after human approval |
| Audit trail | Spread across emails, files and systems | Exceptions, approvals and ledger postings kept with timestamps and notes |
WHY IT MATTERS
Fewer hand-offs, fewer places for errors to hide.
Earlier exception detection
Payroll problems are caught at upload, not in February when the testing census is assembled.
Less reconciliation work
No routine export, merge and re-key cycle between recordkeeping and administration tools.
Clearer accountability
Every exception has an owner, a reason and a resolution note in one queue.
IN THE PILOT BUILD
See the connection in the product.
The plan record pulls together plan details, participants, ledger activity, payroll batches, projects and open discrepancies. The ledger shows the pooled trust balance, pending ACH settlement batches and discrepancy alerts that open a resolution queue.
WHEN SEPARATE SYSTEMS STILL MAKE SENSE
Integration is not right for every plan.
Many TPAs administer plans whose assets and participant accounts are kept by a bundled or daily-valued recordkeeper. In that case the recordkeeper remains the system of record for balances, and the TPA's job is to reconcile against it. KinetiPlan supports that model by importing external records and flagging differences for review. It does not connect live to custodians or recordkeepers today.
A sensible approach is to start integration with the plans where your firm already keeps the books, such as balance-forward or pooled plans, and keep reconciliation workflows for the rest. The vendor-neutral comparison article covers the decision in more depth.
KINETIPLAN AT A GLANCE
The short answer
- What it is
- Integrated 401(k) administration and recordkeeping software. Today it is a working pilot build that runs on synthetic demo data; it is not yet generally available.
- Who it serves
- Independent US third-party administrators (TPAs): owners, operations managers, plan administrators and the IT leads who support them.
- What it replaces
- The mix of testing software, spreadsheets, recordkeeper portals, email and calendars most TPAs stitch together by hand.
- How it works
- Payroll and census files are uploaded as CSV, checked by deterministic rules, routed to an exception queue, then posted to a pooled trust ledger that feeds testing, deadlines, Form 5500 and billing.
- Deployment
- Customer-hosted: in your own AWS account in a US region of your choice, or on-premise. Responsibilities are agreed in writing per customer.
- Limits today
- No live payroll or custodian connections (CSV upload only), no money movement, AI features planned only, no security certifications. KinetiPlan follows SOC 2-aligned practices; it has no SOC 2 report.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is KinetiPlan a recordkeeper?
KinetiPlan is software. A TPA using it can keep participant-level records and a pooled trust ledger in it. KinetiPlan records ACH settlement batches but does not move money or hold assets.
Can we use KinetiPlan alongside our current recordkeeper?
Yes. For plans where an outside recordkeeper is the system of record, external records can be imported and compared, with differences flagged for staff review.
Do we have to migrate every plan at once?
No. A pilot usually starts with a contained set of plans. See the migration protocol.
BOOK A LIVE DEMO
See it on a workflow you know.
A 15-minute walkthrough of the pilot build with synthetic data, focused on the process you pick. No slides required.