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PEP & 401(k) Audit Specialists

Your PEP deserves an auditor who actually gets it

We specialize exclusively in retirement plan audits—bringing deep PEP expertise, predictable timelines, and clear communication to every engagement.

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Direct Payroll Integration

Automated data pulls from major payroll providers. Less manual work, fewer errors, faster audits.

2025 Season

Accepting New Clients

We have capacity for PEPs and large 401(k) plans. Lock in your audit engagement now.

You've felt the pain of a bad audit.

The endless document requests. The auditor who's never worked with a PEP before. The radio silence for weeks, followed by a scramble at deadline. The invoice that somehow doubled.

When retirement plan audits are a side business for your CPA firm, you end up doing their job for them—educating staff, chasing updates, cleaning up their mistakes.

It doesn't have to be this way.

39%
of retirement plan audits are deficient according to DOL studies
— Department of Labor
40-80 hrs
typically spent by plan sponsors gathering documents and responding to auditor requests
— Industry average
190
PEPs in operation as of 2022—a new structure most auditors haven't mastered
— DOL PEP Bulletin 2025
DOL scrutiny on PEPs is increasing as the market grows
— BDO, August 2025

Who We Serve

Purpose-built for Pooled Employer Plans and the teams that power them

Pooled Plan Providers

You're the named fiduciary and administrator. You need an auditor who understands your obligations and won't slow you down.

TPAs & Recordkeepers

You coordinate across multiple adopting employers. You need an auditor who can handle the complexity without creating more work for you.

Advisor-Led PEPs

You've built a PEP to serve your clients. You need an audit partner who reflects the quality you promise them.

Services

Audit services built for PEP complexity

Full Scope PEP Audits

Comprehensive audits covering plan-level financials, participant data testing, and adopting employer compliance across your entire PEP structure.

Limited Scope Audits

Efficient engagements when plan assets are certified by a qualified institution, with thorough participant-level testing.

Form 5500 Support

Accurate preparation and review including Schedule H and the multi-employer attachments specific to PEPs.

Advisory & Remediation

Year-round support for operational questions, DOL inquiries, and correction programs when issues arise.

We only do retirement plans. That focus changes everything.

PEP expertise from day one

No ramp-up. No explaining how pooled plans work. We've structured our entire practice around this specialization.

Fixed, transparent pricing

We quote based on plan complexity, not hours. You'll know exactly what the engagement costs before we start.

Organized document requests

One comprehensive request upfront. No endless follow-ups. We respect your time and keep the process tight.

Responsive communication

Questions answered within 24 hours. Status updates without asking. No vanishing into a black box.

Modern tools for a process that hasn't changed in decades

Most audit firms still rely on spreadsheets, email chains, and manual data entry. We're building something better—purpose-built technology that makes audits faster, more thorough, and less disruptive for your team.

Streamlined Data Collection

A single, organized portal for document submission. No more hunting through email threads or wondering what's been received.

Automated Testing

Our systems cross-reference participant data, contribution records, and plan documents automatically—catching discrepancies human review might miss.

Enhanced Error Detection

Pattern recognition across payroll data, eligibility records, and distributions to identify compliance issues before they become DOL findings.

Real-Time Visibility

Always know where your audit stands. No more waiting weeks for status updates or wondering what's happening behind the scenes.

Leadership

Experience you can rely on

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Doug [Last Name]

Founding Partner

Doug has spent [X] years focused exclusively on employee benefit plan audits, working with plans ranging from first-time filers to complex multi-employer structures. Before founding Pepper, he built and led the retirement plan audit practice at [Previous Firm] in Dallas.

His approach is simple: treat every audit like the plan sponsor's reputation depends on it—because it does.

Licensed CPA AICPA EBPAQC Member [X]+ Plans Audited
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Mason [Last Name]

Founding Partner, Technology & Operations

Mason brings a technologist's perspective to an industry overdue for modernization. Before co-founding Pepper, he founded Vigil, a venture-backed insurance automation startup, where he developed deep expertise in applying AI and automation to complex compliance workflows.

At Pepper, Mason is responsible for building the systems and infrastructure that make audits faster, more accurate, and less painful for clients—without sacrificing the rigor that compliance demands.

Founder, Vigil (2023) $1.3M Venture Capital Raised

Get Started

Let's talk about your audit

Share your email and we'll send you a detailed quote within one business day.

Or email us directly at hello@pepperaudit.com