The Upside Workforce CPA Partner Program
You already know their payroll. Now help them see its upside.
Your clients already trust you to help them understand the numbers that matter. Upside Workforce gives CPA firms another way to bring meaningful value to qualified employers by helping them evaluate potential payroll-tax efficiency while giving employees access to 360 Advantage's Personal Health Activation Platform.
More value for their business.
More opportunity for your firm.
More client valuefor the businesses you serve
A new partner opportunityfor your firm
Your clients already ask you
“How can I keep more money in my business?”
Now you have another conversation to bring them.
For qualified employers, Upside Workforce provides an employer-specific review of whether eligible pre-tax benefit participation may create payroll-tax efficiency while adding meaningful employee value through 360 Advantage.
- You don't have to build it.
- You don't have to administer it.
- You don't have to become the benefits expert.
- You make the introduction.
- We help do the heavy lift.
One introduction. Two businesses with something to gain.
More value for your clients.
- Evaluate a possible employer payroll-tax opportunity
- Add meaningful employee health activation
- Work alongside existing benefits
- Receive expert-guided implementation
- Review employer-specific assumptions before making a decision
- Bring the appropriate CPA, payroll, finance, benefits, and legal stakeholders into the process
More value for your firm.
- Expand the advisory conversation
- Deepen client relationships
- Bring clients a new business insight
- Create another reason for year-round engagement
- Differentiate your firm beyond compliance work
- Potentially earn ongoing partner compensation on qualified participating clients, where permitted
Help their business find more upside. Create more upside for your firm.
Why the CPA matters
You're already in the room when the important questions get asked.
- “How do we improve margins?”
- “Where are we overspending?”
- “What can we do differently this year?”
- “How do we give our people more without simply adding cost?”
- “Is our payroll structure working as efficiently as it could?”
Upside gives you one more answer worth exploring.
How the partnership works
Four steps. One of them is yours.
- 01
Identify the opportunity.
Think of business clients with meaningful W-2 workforces who may benefit from reviewing their payroll and benefit structure.
- 02
Make the introduction.
Connect the business owner or appropriate executive with Upside Workforce.
- 03
We do the heavy lift.
Upside Workforce and 360 Advantage walk the employer through the numbers, program structure, documentation, implementation, and launch.
- 04
Stay the trusted advisor.
Your firm can remain part of the conversation while Upside and 360 handle the program-specific process. Where permitted, your firm receives partner compensation under the CPA Partner Agreement.
Who should I think of?
The clients already on your calendar.
- Established W-2 employers
- Growing businesses
- Employers with meaningful payroll
- Businesses looking for more financial efficiency
- Employers looking to add employee value
- Businesses that want to review their Section 125 / benefit structure
The partnership economics
When your client wins, your firm can participate too.
Qualified CPA partners may receive ongoing compensation directly through their firm for eligible clients introduced to Upside Workforce, subject to the partner agreement and applicable professional, independence, disclosure, and state requirements.
- Client participates
- Employees enroll
- Ongoing partner compensation may continuewhile eligible participation remains active
Professional standards matter. Partner compensation is available where permitted and is subject to applicable professional standards, independence requirements, disclosure obligations, state rules, firm policies, and the CPA Partner Agreement. Each firm should determine its own eligibility. Upside Workforce does not provide legal or professional ethics advice.
CPA Partner Opportunity Calculator
Model the reach of your book.
70% is the average employee participation.
Submit your firm information and we’ll calculate your illustrative earning potential using these assumptions.
Illustrative only. Subject to actual eligible enrollment, partner agreement, program terms, professional rules, and other applicable requirements. Partner compensation is available where permitted and is subject to applicable professional standards, independence requirements, disclosure obligations, state rules, firm policies, and the CPA Partner Agreement.
Your role stays simple
You don't have to become the Upside expert.
Your job isn't to memorize the program or pitch every detail. Identify a client that may be worth reviewing. Make the introduction. We'll take it from there.
- We model the opportunity.
- We explain the program.
- We coordinate the appropriate stakeholders.
- We guide implementation.
- Your firm stays in the loop.
Bring your questions.
Bring your team.
Bring the client's advisors.
- CPA
- CFO
- Payroll provider
- Benefits advisor
- Broker
- Attorney
- HR leadership
A serious employer review should include the right people.
Section 125
The structure behind the opportunity.
Section 125 allows eligible employees to make certain benefit elections on a pre-tax basis. Depending on the employer's actual workforce, elections, payroll, plan design, participation, and other factors, qualifying participation may also reduce employer payroll-tax expense.
Upside Workforce and 360 Advantage help the employer evaluate the structure and coordinate implementation. Results are employer-specific and not guaranteed.
The employee side
A Personal Health Activation Platform.
360 Advantage is designed to help employees move from awareness to insight to action — personalized physical and mental well-being support that works alongside existing benefits.
- Awareness
- Insight
- Action
The employer may find financial value. The employee receives real value too.
Protection & documentation
Built for professional scrutiny.
- 01
Documented plan structure
Written Section 125 cafeteria and Section 105 reimbursement plan documents support the program’s compliance framework.
- 02
Contractual protections
The service agreement includes indemnification provisions that define 360 Advantage’s contractual protection for the employer.
- 03
Insurance backing
360 Advantage’s corporate Errors & Omissions policy — $3 million per incident — backs its contractual indemnification commitment.
- 04
Defined implementation process
A structured onboarding path, designed to be completed within the first 30 days, coordinated with the employer’s payroll and benefits contacts.
- 05
Employer-specific review
Every opportunity is modeled on the employer’s actual workforce, elections, payroll, and plan design — before any decision is made.
We expect your client's advisors to ask questions. That's a good thing.
Protection summary based on 360 Advantage’s “How We Protect Employers.” Coverage and indemnification are subject to the applicable policy and signed agreement, including limits, exclusions and conditions. These protections do not guarantee an audit outcome or an IRS determination.
CPA partner questions
Straight answers for careful advisors.
What does my firm have to do?
Identify business clients that may be worth reviewing and make the introduction. Upside Workforce and 360 Advantage handle the program-specific review, explanation, and implementation.
Do we have to sell Upside Workforce?
No. Your role isn't to pitch the program or memorize its details. You open the conversation; we model the opportunity and explain the program to the employer and its advisors.
Do we have to implement the program?
No. Upside Workforce and 360 Advantage guide documentation, implementation, and launch with the employer's payroll, benefits, and leadership contacts.
Can we participate in the client review?
Yes. With your client's agreement, we welcome your firm in the review. A serious employer review should include the right people.
How is our firm compensated?
Where permitted, qualified CPA partners may receive ongoing compensation directly through their firm for eligible clients introduced to Upside Workforce. Specific terms are defined in the CPA Partner Agreement and reviewed with you in a partner conversation. Partner compensation is available where permitted and is subject to applicable professional standards, independence requirements, disclosure obligations, state rules, firm policies, and the CPA Partner Agreement.
Is compensation recurring?
Partner compensation may continue while eligible client participation remains active, subject to the CPA Partner Agreement and program terms.
Can every CPA firm accept partner compensation?
Not necessarily. Professional standards, independence requirements, attest relationships, state board rules, disclosure obligations, and firm policies may affect whether compensation can be accepted. Each firm should determine its own eligibility; Upside does not provide legal or professional ethics advice.
What if we audit or attest to the client's financial statements?
Attest relationships can raise independence considerations that may restrict or prohibit certain compensation arrangements. Evaluate the relationship under the standards that apply to your firm, and tell us upfront so we can structure the conversation appropriately.
Can our client's broker, attorney, or payroll provider participate?
Yes. We expect the client's advisors to ask questions, and we welcome review by the CPA, CFO, payroll provider, benefits advisor, broker, attorney, and HR leadership.
Does Upside replace existing health insurance?
No. Upside Workforce is designed to work alongside the benefits an employer already has, not replace them.
What types of business clients are the best fit?
Established W-2 employers with meaningful payroll. Employers with approximately 100–1,200 employees are an especially strong profile, though businesses outside that range may still be worth reviewing.
What happens after we refer a client?
We schedule a conversation with the business owner or appropriate executive, complete an employer-specific review, and, if the employer moves forward, guide onboarding — designed to be completed within the first 30 days. Your firm can stay in the loop throughout.
What information does Upside need from the client?
To start, only basic workforce and payroll context. Any additional information needed for the employer-specific review is requested directly and coordinated with the appropriate stakeholders. No sensitive health information is needed to begin.
Explore the partner opportunity
You already have the trust. You already know the business. Upside gives you one more way to create value with both.
Tell us about your firm, then choose a time for a partner conversation.
Partner compensation is available where permitted and is subject to applicable professional standards, independence requirements, disclosure obligations, state rules, firm policies, and the CPA Partner Agreement.
Become a CPA Partner