Press Release

The Standard Surpasses $5 Billion Milestone in PEP Assets

Issued by The Standard

Sept. 9, 2026

The growth represents demand for streamlined retirement plan administration and fiduciary support.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Standard Insurance Company (The Standard) announced that it has surpassed $5 billion in pooled employer plan assets under administration.

Our PEP asset growth reflects strong market momentum and increasing demand for our approach,” said Steve Chappell, assistant vice president of retirement plan sales at The Standard. “Advisors rely on our fully integrated PEP solution to help clients focus on their priorities while receiving the fiduciary management and administrative support needed to manage their retirement plans.”

Leader in PEP solutions

As one of the first PEP providers, The Standard built a fully integrated solution designed to simplify plan management by combining key fiduciary, administrative and recordkeeping responsibilities within a single-provider relationship.

Through this approach, The Standard creates a unified infrastructure with clear accountability for participating employers and advisors. This structure also allows advisors to focus their efforts on providing high-level strategic support to their clients and spend less time on plan administration tasks.

Established under the SECURE Act, PEPs allow for multiple unrelated employers to participate in a single retirement plan. These employers can delegate most administrative and fiduciary responsibilities to a pooled plan provider as well as investment selection and monitoring to an investment manager. Research from The Standard shows that 83% of employers with a PEP are satisfied with the experience, citing simplified and streamlined plan management as the top benefit.¹

Learn more about PEPs.

About The Standard

Established in 1906, The Standard is a family of companies dedicated to helping customers achieve financial well-being and peace of mind. We are a leading provider of financial protection products and services for employers and individual customers. Our products include group and individual disability insurance, group life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, group dental and group vision insurance, voluntary and supplemental benefits, absence management and paid family leave services, retirement plans products and services and annuities for employers and individual customers. For more information about The Standard, visit standard.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.

The Standard is the marketing name for StanCorp Financial Group, Inc., and its subsidiaries. Third-party administrative services are provided by Standard Retirement Services, Inc. Insurance products are offered by Standard Insurance Company of Portland, Oregon, in all states except New York. Product features and availability vary by state and are solely the responsibility of Standard Insurance Company. Standard Retirement Services, Inc. and Standard Insurance Company are subsidiaries of StanCorp Financial Group, Inc.

¹ This research was based on the results of a survey of 300 employee benefits decision-makers at midsized U.S. companies. Survey responses were collected by Burke, Inc Jan. 3 – 26, 2025, on behalf of The Standard. All employers who responded were offered compensation from the third party to complete the survey.

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