Benefits infrastructure encompasses the platforms, vendors, processes, and governance that make employee benefits actually work. Seed-stage startups don't need enterprise systems, but they do need five foundational elements: a single source of truth for employee data, clear ownership, documented vendor relationships, a compliance calendar, and an exit path from current contracts. These take hours to establish and prevent months of expensive cleanup later.

This comprehensive guide walks you through planning and budgeting a PEO exit over 12 months. It covers hidden costs most companies miss, detailed sample budgets for a 75-employee company, month-by-month planning timelines, timing dependencies, real-world pitfalls, and practical advice on when to bring in external help. Perfect for HR leaders ready to transition away from their PEO.