PEO Comparison Checklist for Brokers
Use Planlined's checklist to evaluate PEO providers. Compare master health plans, admin fees, bundled services, and total cost of engagement.
Master health plan options
Admin fee analysis
Bundled services included
Transition & implementation
Common questions
What should be on a PEO comparison checklist?
Four blocks, in this order. Master health plan options: how many plans, which carriers, whether the networks reach every client location, and whether HSA, HRA and FSA designs are supported. Admin fees: the structure, the monthly and annual totals, setup and termination fees, and how long the quoted rate is guaranteed. Bundled services: what is genuinely included versus billed separately. Transition: implementation timeline, data migration, open enrollment coordination and who owns the rollout. Capture the same fields for every PEO so the results can be read side by side.
What questions should you ask a PEO before signing?
Ask for the complete fee schedule rather than the headline rate, and ask how long that rate is guaranteed. Ask which carriers and networks are available in each location the client actually employs people. Ask what is billed separately from the base admin fee. Ask what the termination terms are, including any charge to extract payroll and census data. Ask who the named implementation manager is and what the timeline looks like against the client renewal date.
What services are usually bundled into a PEO agreement?
Most PEO agreements bundle payroll processing, HR support and compliance, workers compensation, and an employee self-service portal. Time and attendance, EPLI coverage, 401(k) administration and recruiting or onboarding tools vary by provider and by tier, and are frequently the items that turn up as separate line charges. Confirm each one against the agreement rather than the sales deck, because the bundle is what determines whether the admin fee is actually competitive.
How do you evaluate a PEO transition?
Judge the transition on the calendar, not the promise. Confirm the implementation timeline against the client open enrollment and renewal dates, establish what data migration support is provided and who does the work, and check whether employee communication materials and training are included. A dedicated implementation manager matters more than most line items on the fee schedule, because a transition that lands badly during open enrollment costs the client more than the admin fee difference between two providers.
Compare PEOs with Planlined
Go beyond checklists. Planlined helps you model total PEO costs, compare master health plans, and generate client-ready comparison reports.