Equitable Launches 403(b) Pooled Employer Plan to Support Nonprofits

New offering expands access to retirement plan benefits for this underserved market

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Equitable, a leading financial services organization and principal franchise of Equitable Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EQH), today announced the introduction of the Equitable Retirement Access^SM ERISA 403(b) pooled employer plan (PEP), a new offering designed to help nonprofit organizations offer a scalable, cost‑efficient way to provide their employees with retirement plan benefits.

“Nonprofit leaders pour everything into the people and communities they support, but most don’t have the resources or time to manage a retirement plan,” said Jim Kais, Head of Group Retirement at Equitable. “They recognize how important these benefits are for attracting and keeping talent, and this new solution gives them a practical way to offer a high‑quality retirement plan while we handle the details behind the scenes.”

PEPs are defined contribution plans that allow a group of unrelated businesses to pool their employees’ retirement funds into a single plan managed by a third-party provider. This helps to reduce administrative tasks, such as compliance and reporting, and provides protection from fiduciary risk. Introduced by the SECURE Act in 2019, PEPs are designed to help close the retirement income gap among U.S. workers who do not have access to retirement plans through their employers. The SECURE Act 2.0, passed in 2022, further expanded access by allowing PEPs to be included in 403(b) plans.

This new offering expands the Equitable Retirement Access suite, building on the successful introduction of Equitable’s 401(k) PEP for small and medium‑size businesses in 2025. It also extends access to retirement plan benefits for another underserved segment of the U.S. workforce — employees of nonprofit organizations. While the U.S. nonprofit sector employs roughly one in 10 workers,ⁱ retirement benefits in this space are often less common than in the public and private sector. Notably, only 21% of nonprofits provide retirement benefits to their employees.ⁱⁱ

Like employers in every sector, nonprofit leaders increasingly view retirement plans as an essential part of demonstrating care for their employees and supporting long‑term workforce stability. Yet for many smaller organizations — from community health systems to charities and faith‑based institutions — the financial and administrative demands of offering a plan can be prohibitive.

“We continue to see strong demand for workplace retirement solutions that help employers simplify plan management, get the fiduciary support they need and control costs,” added Kais. “By expanding our PEP offerings into the 403(b) market, we’re providing nonprofits access to retirement plans that are easier to run and cost‑efficient — benefits typically reserved for larger organizations. This launch marks an important step as we continue to build our presence in the PEP space.”

The new 403(b) PEP is available through the Equitable Retirement Vision® platform for nonprofit employers establishing a new 403(b) plan or evaluating a transition from an existing provider. PlanConnect LLC, an Equitable affiliate, will serve as recordkeeper, while MAP Retirementⁱⁱⁱ will act as the pooled plan provider, third‑party administrator, and 3(16) administrative fiduciary. SWBC Retirement Plan Services will serve as the 3(38) investment fiduciary and Plan Notice LLC will manage notice delivery services.

Through its Group Retirement business, Equitable partners with school districts, municipalities, not-for-profit entities and small-to-medium-sized businesses to provide tax-deferred investment and retirement solutions, including 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) plans for their employees. Equitable’s Group Retirement business has a nearly five-decade history of providing workplace retirement solutions to more than 1.2 million clients.

About Equitable:

Equitable, a principal franchise of Equitable Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EQH), has been one of America’s leading financial services providers since 1859. With the mission to help clients secure their financial well-being, Equitable provides advice, protection and retirement strategies to individuals, families and small businesses. Equitable has more than 8,000 employees and Equitable Advisors financial professionals and serves more than 4 million clients across the country. Please visit equitable.com for more information.

Reference to the 1859 founding applies specifically and exclusively to Equitable Financial. Equitable is the brand name of the retirement and protection subsidiaries of Equitable Holdings, Inc., including Equitable Financial and Equitable Distributors, LLC.

Products funding workplace retirement plans are issued by Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company (Equitable Financial) NY, NY. The Equitable Retirement Access^SM defined contribution program consists of a custodial account, within which plan participants' chosen mutual fund shares are held, as well as a group fixed annuity contract issued by Equitable Financial. The Equitable Retirement Access^SM defined contribution program is distributed by Equitable Distributors, LLC (NY, NY) and Equitable Network, LLC (Equitable Network Insurance Agency of California, LLC; Equitable Network Insurance Agency of Utah, LLC; Equitable Network of Puerto Rico, Inc.) (Charlotte, NC). Equitable Financial is solely responsible for the obligations of the group fixed annuity contract. Equitable Financial and its affiliates do not provide legal or tax advice or services. SWBC Retirement Plan Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of SWBC, which was established in 1976. Advisory services are offered by SWBC Investment Advisory Services, LLC, d/b/a SWBC Retirement Plan Services, an SEC-registered investment adviser. MAP Retirement, Benefit Trust Company, Plan Notice, LLC, and SWBC are not subsidiaries or affiliates of Equitable Holdings, Inc. The investments in this program are subject to investment risks, including possible loss of the principal invested. GE-8804508.1 (03/2026) (exp.03/36)

ⁱ Chen, X. (2025), Funding the Future: How Size, Revenue, and Community Shape Retirement Benefits in Nonprofits. Merits, 5(4), 20. https://doi.org/10.3390/merits5040020
ⁱⁱ Ibid
ⁱⁱⁱ MAP Retirement was formerly known as Pension Plan Specialists.

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Media Contact:
Monique Freeman
(212) 314-2010
mediarelations@equitable.com

Source: Equitable