Independent advisory at the intersection of ERISA, federal tax, and fiduciary oversight.
01 — The Firm
Covenant Compliance Group is an independent advisory firm operating at the intersection of ERISA, federal tax, and fiduciary oversight. The firm is structured to support internal decision-makers and external advisors in evaluating the design, documentation, and compliance posture of employee benefit programs.
Our work product is intended to withstand review by ERISA counsel, tax advisors, auditors, and regulators. We do not sell insurance products, receive carrier commissions, or accept implementation-based compensation of any kind.
This structural independence is not incidental. It is the foundation of every engagement and the basis upon which our conclusions are offered.
The firm serves chief financial officers, general counsel, ERISA attorneys, tax advisors, and independent auditors — professionals who require analysis that is neutral, precise, and technically supportable.
02 — Advisory Scope
Employee benefit structures — particularly those outside traditional fully-insured models — can introduce meaningful legal and tax exposure. Our role is to evaluate whether those structures are technically supportable, clearly documented, and appropriate for regulatory scrutiny.
Review of plan design, documentation, and operational compliance against applicable ERISA, IRC, and DOL requirements. We identify structural deficiencies before regulators and auditors do.
Evaluation of employer and employee tax treatment, including Section 125 cafeteria plan compliance, IRC Section 105/106 positioning, payroll tax implications, and documentation sufficiency for audit defense.
Preparation for regulatory inquiry, audit examination, and fiduciary challenge. We evaluate whether an organization's benefit program posture can withstand adversarial review — and document the basis for that conclusion.
Tax · ERISA · Fiduciary
"The question is not whether a benefit structure will be examined — it is whether the documentation will support the position when it is."
03 — Methodology
Every engagement follows a structured methodology designed to produce work product that serves as a contemporaneous record of compliance analysis — not a sales document.
Comprehensive review of existing plan documents, summary plan descriptions, adoption agreements, IRS determination letters, Form 5500 filings, and prior audit correspondence. We establish the factual record before forming conclusions.
Identification of the legal and tax framework applicable to the plan structure, including ERISA coverage requirements, IRC compliance provisions, and applicable DOL guidance. Each structural element is mapped to its regulatory basis.
Systematic identification of documentation gaps, operational inconsistencies, and compliance exposures. Findings are categorized by severity and presented with specific regulatory citations.
Production of a written analysis suitable for review by internal counsel, external ERISA advisors, tax professionals, and — if necessary — regulatory authorities. All conclusions are supported by specific statutory, regulatory, or administrative authority.
04 — Independence
Covenant Compliance Group does not receive commissions, implementation fees, or referral compensation from insurance carriers, brokers, or plan administrators. This is a structural choice, not a marketing position.
The absence of product-based revenue ensures that every analytical conclusion reflects technical merit alone — a distinction that matters when the audience is opposing counsel, a DOL investigator, or an IRS examiner.
No Carrier Commissions
No Implementation Fees
No Referral Revenue
Fee-Only Advisory
Internal Revenue Service · Washington, D.C.
05 — Why It Matters
Employee benefit programs that operate outside traditional models often proceed without the level of structural and tax analysis that their risk profile demands. The consequences of that gap tend to surface at the worst possible time.
Covenant Compliance Group exists to answer that question before the examination begins. Our engagement model is designed to produce the kind of analysis that a CFO can hand to outside counsel, a general counsel can present to the board, and an ERISA attorney can rely upon in defense of a plan's compliance posture.
The work product is not a summary. It is not an opinion letter dressed as marketing. It is a structured, documented, and citable evaluation of compliance posture — one that treats every regulatory question as though it will eventually be asked under oath.
06 — Leadership
Covenant Compliance Group was founded by practitioners whose professional experience encompasses the regulatory and legal environments in which employee benefit compliance questions are ultimately resolved.
Tax · Advisory · IRS
Principal — Tax & Structural Advisory
Matt Klingeman is a certified public accountant and former IRS manager with more than twenty years of experience in tax and accounting. He began his career at the Internal Revenue Service, where over an eight-year tenure he managed examinations of small businesses, complex individual returns, large partnerships, and multinational corporate audits.
At the IRS, Matt led national projects targeting abusive transactions and transfer pricing — experience that now informs his approach to evaluating the tax defensibility of employee benefit structures. He understands what the Service looks for, how examinations are conducted, and what documentation is required to support a position under audit.
ERISA · Litigation · Corporate
Principal — Compliance & Legal Advisory
Erin Jensen is a commercial litigator and transactional attorney whose practice encompasses complex commercial litigation, corporate law, and regulatory compliance. He previously practiced in the Colorado Springs and Denver offices of Hogan & Hartson — now Hogan Lovells — one of the largest and most recognized law firms in the world.
Erin's litigation background provides Covenant's compliance analysis with the adversarial perspective that regulatory defense requires. His work evaluating fiduciary obligations, structural integrity, and documentation precision reflects the standard of scrutiny that ERISA counsel, auditors, and regulators apply.
Inquiries
Engagements begin with a confidential, no-obligation consultation to determine whether Covenant's advisory scope is appropriate for your organization's compliance requirements.
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