SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Stax.ai, an AI-powered operating system for retirement plan administrators, has expanded its partnership with Finch, a leading payroll and employee data connectivity provider. This expansion establishes Stax.ai as the sole retirement plan administration platform to feature Finch natively embedded within its census, compliance, and client portal workflows, addressing increasing data complexity for Third-Party Administrators (TPAs) ahead of 2025 SECURE 2.0 long-term part-time (LTPT) rules.
The enhanced collaboration, building on two years of joint efforts, aims to resolve critical payroll and participant data bottlenecks. With Finch natively integrated, plan sponsors can connect their payroll systems once through Stax.ai’s client portal, enabling clean, standardized data to flow automatically into Stax.ai’s census and compliance engine. This process is designed to eliminate manual back-and-forth communication, data reformatting, reliance on point solutions, and the need for additional operational headcount.
The partnership offers several key functionalities. It provides universal payroll coverage, utilizing Finch’s API and tech-assisted integrations for major payroll providers, complemented by Stax.ai’s document AI for unsupported systems. The system also features 360 Recordkeeper Connectivity, facilitating bidirectional payroll and participant data to automate deferral and contribution updates, streamlining plan management. Unlike legacy platforms, Finch’s payroll connectivity is embedded directly within Stax.ai’s white-label client portal and workflows. Additionally, the solution supports compliance readiness by automating LTPT and SECURE 2.0 obligations through census automation, including programmatic access to W-2 and W-3 forms for data reconciliation and validation.
TPAs utilizing Stax.ai have reported notable improvements, with a 29% increase in plan sponsor satisfaction within 90 days of implementation. Furthermore, 89% of sponsors have indicated a preference for the Stax.ai portal over their previous census processes.
Joseph Carolan, Owner of Evergreen Retirement Plan Consulting, commented on the efficiency gains: “It’s unbelievable how much the time it takes me has been reduced. The Stax product experience and significant time savings have allowed Evergreen to focus on strategic growth, marking a new era of efficiency.” Sheree Tallerman, CEO of PlanPerfect, added, “With CX, the friction on year-end administration is largely gone. Rather than sending census requests and waiting on spreadsheets, we now receive payroll data directly in census-ready format. The process is seamless, fast, and far more accurate.”
Naru Muraleedharan, Founder and CEO of Stax.ai, stated, “Plan consultants know that getting accurate payroll and census have been the toughest, most unreliable part of plan administration. Other payroll connectivity and aggregation tools left major gaps, but our partnership with Finch closes them—delivering the clean, automated, and accurate system the industry has been waiting for.” Jeremy Zhang, Co-founder and CEO of Finch, added, “Stax.ai is quickly becoming the leader in retirement plan administration—using technology to deliver automation and client experiences that set a new industry standard. At Finch, our goal is to find and support the innovators who will move the ecosystem forward. Together, we can provide TPAs with a reliable and automated payroll-connected census experience, unlocking better outcomes for administrators, sponsors, and participants alike.”
Stax.ai operates as an AI-powered operating system for retirement plan administrators, offering a Trust Accounting and Client Experience suite that automates payroll integrations, census intake, reconciliation, client communications, and compliance workflows. The company is SOC 2 Type II certified and serves over 150,000 active retirement plans nationwide through independent TPAs.
Finch provides an API platform for payroll, HR, and benefits connectivity. Its integrations span hundreds of providers, facilitating secure, permissioned access to payroll data for software companies serving employers, employees, and service providers.
