Benefits Broker vs. PEO: What's the Difference?

Quick answer: A benefits broker helps design, negotiate, and manage your own health and benefits plan without becoming your employer. A PEO (Professional Employer Organization) enters a co-employment relationship, handling payroll and placing your employees on its pooled group benefits plan. The core difference is ownership: with a broker, you own and control your plan directly; with a PEO, you share employer responsibilities and typically use the PEO’s shared plan.