Retirement plan solutions for employers of every size.
Expertise you can trust. Advice you can act on.
Our Mission
Making retirement work for everyone.
Creative Retirement Systems (CRS) is a third-party administrator with offices in Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio, delivering retirement plan consulting, design, and administration to businesses, entrepreneurs, and financial advisors nationwide. Because we are fee-for-service and never sell investments, our guidance stays focused on one thing: building a plan that works for you and your people. For decades, we have earned a reputation for responsive service, creative plan design, and the kind of accuracy that keeps plans compliant and clients confident.
Making Retirement Work for Everyone
Objective advice. Creative design. Nationwide reach.
At CRS, we pair hands-on expertise with the scale and resources of Strongpoint Partners, so clients get the best of both. From closely held businesses and professional practices to corporations with locations across the country, our consultants design strategies around your goals — whether that means a 401(k), a Cash Balance plan, or a combination design. The outcome: lower tax liability, stronger retirement savings, and a plan that helps you attract and keep good people.
1,900+
Retirement Plans Administered
21
Retirement Consultants
9
Avg. Years of Team Tenure
686
New Plan Designs / Year
Strongpoint Partners By the Numbers
Backed by Strongpoint’s national infrastructure, so no challenge is too complex.
375+ Retirement Consultants
~1K New Plan Designs/Year
32K+ Total Plans Administered
$54B+ Assets Under Management
~9.5 Avg. Years of Client Tenure
35+ Avg. Years of Design Specialist Tenure
375+ Retirement Consultants ~1K New Plan Designs/Year 32K+ Total Plans Administered $54B+ Assets Under Management ~9.5 Avg. Years of Client Tenure 35+ Avg. Years of Design Specialist Tenure
Your Plan. Your Goals. Our Expertise.
We build each plan around your goals and administer it with the precision that keeps it compliant year after year.
No two organizations come to their retirement plan the same way. Owners want to maximize savings and cut tax exposure; HR and finance teams have to manage fiduciary duties and keep pace with shifting IRS and DOL rules. We handle design and administration, so your team can stay focused on running the business, starting with your goals and tailoring the plan from there.
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Annual Plan Administration: Ongoing
1099-R Distribution to participants: Due 1/31
Plan Design Review: January
Annual Notices: February
Annual Data Request Mgmt: Due 2/15
ADP/ACP Corrective Distribution & Partnership / S-Corp Tax Filing: Due 3/15
Data Cleansing & Validation: March
With Form 1099-R distributions due January 31st, a census data deadline of February 15th, and corrective distribution and partnership/S-corp filing deadlines on March 15th, our team is focused on census file collection and data verification and cleansing early in the year. We complete robust testing protocols that ensure our clients are maximizing their retirement objectives while maintaining a plan compliant with constantly changing regulations.
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Annual Plan Administration: Ongoing
First-Year RMD Distribution: Due 4/1
Corrective Distribution, Excess 402(g): Due 4/15
Data Cleansing & Validation: April - May
Annual Contributions: May - June
In Q2, our team distributes first-year Required Minimum Distributions by April 1st and processes corrective distributions for excess 402(g) deferrals by April 15th, alongside our focus on data accuracy and completeness as we begin the 5500 filing process. With ongoing support for plan participants and reconciliation procedures with recordkeepers underlying the data needed for 5500 production, we're also leveraging insight to help you plan for future tax planning.
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Annual Plan Administration: Ongoing
File Form 5500, or Form 5558 for Extension: Due 7/31
Annual Contributions: July
Asset Reconciliation: July - August
Annual Testing: August - September
Outstanding Data Due to CRS: Due 9/15
Annual Reporting / Summary Annual Report: Due 9/30
As we prepare for the October 15th 5500 filing deadline, our team manages the July 31st deadline to file Form 5500 or request an extension via Form 5558, the September 15th deadline for any outstanding data, and Summary Annual Reports going out to participants by September 30th. We also use this window to discuss future needs, as identified by our testing and report prep, as we plan for the coming fiscal year.
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Annual Plan Administration: October
Annual Reporting, Extended Form 5500 & Corporate Tax Return: Due 10/15
Safe Harbor & Automatic Enrollment Notices: Due 12/1
Year-End Projections: November - December
ADP/ACP Correction Deadline & RMD Distribution: Due 12/31
With extended Form 5500 filings and corporate tax deadlines due October 15th, our team turns to year-end: Safe Harbor and Automatic Enrollment Notices go out to participants by December 1st, and we run year-end projections through November and December, modeling contribution ranges so clients can plan for taxes before the plan year closes. By December 31st, we confirm any ADP/ACP corrections and safe harbor contributions are complete and Required Minimum Distributions are distributed, and we meet with clients to ensure their plan continues to meet their strategic objectives.
CEFEX Certified
CRS is CEFEX certified, a distinction held by very few third-party administrators nationwide.
It's one more way we hold ourselves to the highest standard in the industry. Learn more about all of Our Certifications.
For Our Trusted Partners
We work hand in hand with financial advisors, accountants, and recordkeepers.
The best client outcomes come from a coordinated team. When advisors, accountants, and administrators share the same priorities of transparency, accuracy, and a client-first approach, even complicated plans run smoothly. CRS stays in its lane by design: we focus on plan design and administration so our partners can focus on investments and client relationships.
Let’s talk about how we can support your clients together.