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HR & Payroll
Justworks · Rippling · TriNet · Insperity

Set up a PEO. Benefits + payroll + HR in one.

A PEO (Professional Employer Organization) is a co-employer that provides Fortune-500-level benefits, payroll, and HR compliance to small businesses. You manage day-to-day; the PEO handles benefits administration, payroll processing, workers comp, employment taxes, and many compliance tasks. Common PEOs: Justworks (tech-friendly), Rippling (integrated HRIS), TriNet (mid-market), Insperity (enterprise). We match you to the right PEO and handle the referral.

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How it works

How we handle PEO Setup, end-to-end.

A PEO (Professional Employer Organization) is a co-employer that provides Fortune-500-level benefits, payroll, and HR compliance to small businesses.

1

Need assessment

We assess: company stage, employee count, growth plans, current benefits, geographic distribution. Drives PEO selection (Justworks for small tech, Rippling for HRIS-first, TriNet for mid-market, Insperity for compliance-heavy).

2

PEO match + intro

We introduce you to 2-3 PEOs that fit. Each provides a proposal with pricing, benefits package, and onboarding timeline. Typical PEO pricing: $50-$200 per employee per month.

3

Proposal review

We help you compare proposals: benefits quality, technology, customer service, contract terms (term length, exit provisions). Common gotchas: 12-month contracts, exit data restrictions.

4

Onboarding support

Once you pick a PEO, we coordinate the onboarding: employee migration, benefits enrollment, payroll cutover, prior-payroll cleanup. Typical timeline: 6-8 weeks.

What we'll set up for you

A clean handoff, in four steps.

You give us the basics. We handle the state, the IRS, and the compliance clock so you can focus on the business.

01 · Name + Brand

A name that's actually available.

Real-time check against the state register, USPTO trademark database, and matching domains.

02 · State filing

Filed with the Secretary of State.

We submit your Articles, pay the state fee on your behalf, and return the stamped certificate.

03 · Federal IDs

EIN + the right tax setup.

Federal Employer ID with the IRS, plus state tax accounts when your business needs them.

04 · Stay compliant

Registered Agent + deadline tracking.

Your agent on file in every state, with every renewal and annual report tracked in one calendar.

Pricing

Transparent peo setup pricing.

Government fees pass through at cost. No upsells.

Referral only

$0
Free PEO matching.

We assess and refer you to 2-3 PEOs. PEO pays us a referral fee; you pay nothing extra. Most clients use this service.

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Onboarding support

$999
Migration support included.

Referral plus 6-8 weeks of onboarding support: employee migration, benefits coordination, prior-payroll reconciliation, troubleshooting. Useful for migrations from existing payroll systems.

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Strategic HR retainer

$1999
Quarterly HR review.

Referral plus ongoing quarterly HR strategy review: compensation benchmarking, benefits competitiveness, compliance gap assessment. For growing companies wanting more than just operational PEO.

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FAQ

About the PEO Setup Referral Service.

How do I choose a PEO?
Compare PEOs on their benefit offerings, pricing model, service quality, technology, and experience with businesses your size and industry, since the right fit depends on your specific needs rather than a single ranking. We keep your employer setup organized and can point you toward PEO options that suit your situation.
What should I look for in a PEO?
Strong, affordable benefit plans, transparent pricing, responsive HR support, solid technology, and good references from similar businesses, since a PEO becomes a core operational partner rather than a vendor you rarely deal with. We flag the criteria so you evaluate PEOs on what actually matters, not just the headline price.
How is PEO pricing structured?
PEOs charge either a percentage of your payroll or a flat per-employee fee, plus the cost of the benefits themselves, so comparing the total cost rather than just the administrative fee is what matters. We flag how to compare so you understand the real all-in cost of each option before committing.
Is a bigger PEO better?
Not necessarily: larger PEOs may offer more resources and broader benefits, while smaller ones often give more personal, responsive service, so the right choice depends on your size and how much hands-on support you want. We flag the trade-offs so you weigh scale against service quality.
What benefits can a PEO offer?
By pooling many employers' employees, PEOs often provide health, dental, retirement, and other benefits at rates a small business could never get on its own, which is a major reason to use one. We flag how this fits your goals for attracting and keeping good staff as you grow.
Should I use a PEO or a payroll provider?
It depends on how much you want to offload: a PEO co-employs your staff and handles broad HR, benefits, and compliance, while a payroll provider just processes pay while you remain the sole employer. We flag the difference so you choose the level of support your business actually needs.
How do I transition to a PEO?
You move payroll and benefits administration to the PEO under a co-employment agreement, while your existing entity and employer registrations remain in place, and the PEO helps coordinate the changeover. We keep your entity and registrations in order so the transition into a PEO is smooth.
Can I switch PEOs later?
Yes, though moving payroll, benefits, and employee data takes planning, so choosing well upfront reduces churn down the line. We keep your entity and employer foundation organized so you retain the flexibility to change providers if a PEO turns out not to be the right fit.
Can File.Business help me find the right PEO?
We form the entity, complete the employer registrations, and flag the PEO evaluation criteria and how a PEO fits your business, and can point you toward suitable options, so your employer setup and your PEO choice work together from the start.

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