One benefit. Every employee.
Real impact.
One flexible benefit budget. Employees choose where it goes, student loans, 529 college savings, or emergency savings. Thrive handles employee invites, account setup, and contribution tracking, keeping the lift light for HR.
Employers choose a program structure
Simple, flexible plan designs to match your budget and workforce. Thrive helps you design the right program in one session.
Employees enroll and choose their benefit
We invite employees, guide them through setup, and help them connect student loan, 529, or savings accounts. They choose where funds go, and can update anytime.
Thrive runs the program behind the scenes
We manage contributions, tracking, reporting, and payments, so everything runs smoothly without adding to your team's workload.
One simple monthly step for HR
Upload a single payroll file each month. No complex integrations. Thrive handles the rest. Typical implementation: 3 to 5 weeks.
Why Thrive Stands Out
We handle employee onboarding, account setup, and contribution tracking
Loans, 529, or savings, one benefit that fits every life stage
Up to $5,250/year tax-free for eligible student loan contributions
Up and running in weeks, not months, typical implementation 3 to 5 weeks
"What stood out with Thrive is how relevant it is to every employee. It's rare to find a benefit that resonates across generations like this."
Mental Health Practice, VA
"Thrive made it incredibly easy to launch a benefit that employees immediately valued. The setup was seamless, and the ongoing lift for our team is minimal."
HR Leader, Multi-state Employer
Match the right program
to each client.
Every employer is different. These three structures cover most scenarios, pick the one that fits, then use the real examples to make it concrete in the meeting.
Flexible Match
Mirrors the employer's existing 401(k) match. Employees redirect unused match dollars to whatever matters most, student loans, 529 savings, or emergency savings.
Any employer with an existing 401(k) match. Works across all workforce sizes and demographics.
Employer Match
Employer matches employee contributions toward student loans, 529, or emergency savings. Employee contributes first; employer matches. Clear, simple, cost-controlled.
Cost-conscious employers who want to tie the benefit to employee participation and control exposure.
Employer Pay
Employer sets a flat monthly amount per employee, no employee contribution required. Zero friction. Maximum recruiting impact. Employees start receiving the benefit immediately.
Competitive talent markets where differentiation is critical and the employer wants maximum perceived value.
Program Structures at a Glance
Flexible Matching Program
Retirement Match: 100% up to 5%
| Retirement Account | Student Loans / 529 / Savings | |
|---|---|---|
| OPTION 1 Employee Contribution Employer Match |
5% 5% |
0% 0% |
| OPTION 2 Employee Contribution Employer Match |
0% 0% |
5% 5% |
| OPTION 3 Employee Contribution Employer Match |
3% 3% |
2% 2% |
Employer Match
Student Loans, 529 college savings, Emergency Savings
| Student Loans, 529 College Savings, Emergency Savings | |
|---|---|
| Employee | 2% |
| Employer | 2% |
| Employee | $100 |
| Employer | $100 |
| Sports Apparel | $100/month |
| Law Firm | 100% up to 3% comp |
| Engineering Firm | 100% up to $3,000/year |
| Hospital | 50% up to $5,250/year |
Employer Pay
Student Loans, 529 college savings, Emergency Savings
| Student Loans, 529 College Savings, Emergency Savings | |
|---|---|
| Employee | $0 |
| Employer | $100 |
| Carvana | $1,000/year |
| Estee Lauder | $100/month |
| $2,500/year | |
| Hulu | $100/month |
How to introduce Thrive
in your next client meeting.
Use these frameworks to identify the right clients, open the conversation confidently, and handle objections on the spot.
Clients Most Likely to Say Yes
- Employers who have had recent turnover and don't know why
- Companies competing for talent against larger employers
- Healthcare, education, or nonprofit employers with PSLF-eligible staff
- Employers who already offer a 401(k) match and want to modernize it
- Any client asking "what else can we offer?" at open enrollment
- Companies with a younger workforce (Millennials, Gen Z) as a majority
Opening the Conversation
- Start with the turnover cost: "What does it cost you when you lose a good employee?"
- Ask about financial wellness: "What are you doing today to support employees' financial health?"
- Share the stat: "56% of employees say debt influences which employer they choose"
- Ask about competitors: "Do you know if your competitors are offering this yet?"
- Frame it as ROI-positive, payroll tax savings often offset the entire fee
Suggested Meeting Agenda
- Open with the workforce financial wellness landscape and the problem your clients don't see
- Share what other employers in their industry are doing, and who is winning talent because of it
- Walk through the Thrive program structure that best fits their size and budget
- Cover the tax benefits and show the ROI, how payroll savings typically offset the cost
- Demonstrate how simple implementation actually is, one payroll file, 3 to 5 weeks to launch
- Close with: "Would you like me to put together a proposal tailored to your workforce?"
Handling Common Objections
- "We don't have budget". The 7.65% payroll tax savings on contributions often offsets the fee. For many clients, the net cost is zero or negative.
- "Our employees don't have student loans". 56% of working-age adults do. Before assuming, ask them to guess, then offer them our employee survey so they can get a true read on their workforce's needs.
- "Sounds complicated to administer". One payroll file per month. Thrive does everything else. Implementation in 3 to 5 weeks.
- "We'll look at it next year". 38% of employers plan to offer this within 5 years. First movers win the talent war today.
Simple, transparent pricing.
The employer's 7.65% payroll tax savings on contributions typically offsets the entire platform fee. For most clients, this is effectively net-zero cost.
From decision to launch
in 3 to 5 weeks.
The most common client objection is implementation complexity. The honest answer: Thrive handles it. Your client uploads one eligibility file, we do the rest.
Plan Design
Collaborative session to define eligibility, contribution structure, and benefit design. One meeting, Thrive leads it.
Company Setup & Funding
Thrive completes the Let's Go Packet, gathers company details, and sets up the funding account. Typically 1 to 2 weeks.
Platform Kickoff
Operational session with payroll. Confirm file format, align on launch timing, prepare employee training materials.
Employee Engagement Session
Thrive presents the benefit to employees, explains enrollment, and unveils the employer's branded landing page.
Ready. Set. Enroll.
Eligibility file uploaded. Custom enrollment emails sent. Employees enroll. Thrive transfers to payroll. Program is live.
📥 Download Onboarding Timeline
Share this visual timeline with your clients to show exactly how simple implementation is, step by step.
Download Timeline PDF🎨 What Gets Co-Branded for Each Client
Contact [email protected] to request co-branded materials for your next client.
What advisors win
when they bring Thrive.
Differentiating in a Commoditized Market
Competing against two firms with identical proposals, health, 401(k), dental, all the same. The advisor introduced Thrive. It was the only thing on the table nobody else had.
Solving the Retention Problem
Exit interviews pointed to financial stress and student debt. After Thrive, clinical staff engaged immediately, financial stress decreased in internal surveys.
Turning a Disengaged Workforce Into Advocates
After Thrive, employees engaged immediately, the benefit was personally relevant. Retirement plan participation also increased as a spillover effect.
Creating a Non-Salary Competitive Advantage
Couldn't match large firm salaries. Thrive gave them a recruiting story that resonated with early-career candidates and didn't require raising comp budgets.
