Small business 401(k). Big impact.

Running a small business can feel like a lot. Our tools, and support can make offering a retirement benefit a lot easier.

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A retirement plan for any sized business

401(k) plans are employer-sponsored retirement plans that can benefit everyone: employees, employers, and the business itself.

  • Contribute up to $23,500

    Both employees and employers can participate in a 401(k) and can generally contribute up to $23,500 in 2025 ($31,000 if 50+).1

  • Help lower your tax liability

    Employer contributions are tax-deductible so you can reduce your tax liability. You may also be able to deduct plan administration expenses.2

  • Retain and recruit talent

    A retirement plan is a popular workplace benefit. They can reduce turnover, increase engagement and show your commitment to everyone’s financial wellness.

Why Guideline

Save time while helping employees save

  • Easy setup and management

    You can set up a Guideline 401(k) in 20 minutes. From there, it’s pretty hands off. We’ll take care of recordkeeping, investments, government filings, and more.
  • payroll integration

    Seamless payroll integration

    Clients using select payroll providers can get a largely automated 401(k). We can securely sync employee data, track 401(k) eligibility, and process deductions. Learn more
  • Up to 6x less in fees

    Lower fees for employees

    Our professionally managed investment portfolios are diversified with low-cost funds. Their estimated total cost can be under 0.22%.5

Pricing

Get an impactful benefit at an affordable price

Our 401(k) plans include the features and services needed to offer a great benefit right out of the box.

Starter pricing

$39

/ month

+

$4

/ month per active participant

Starter plans must be connected with an eligible payroll provider10
Compare with our Core and Enterprise plan offerings

What’s included

  • Government filing
    We prepare standard annual reports for no extra fee, including Form 55006 and 1099-R.
  • Investment management
    We manage the investment portfolio, select and monitor funds, and rebalance portfolios automatically. Learn more
  • Payroll integration
    We integrate with popular payroll providers so businesses can connect their plan and simplify plan administration. Learn more
  • Custodial services
    Through our third party custodian, we’ll process transactions, execute trades, safeguard plan assets and more.
  • Recordkeeping
    We serve as the recordkeeper to track your 401(k) plan’s balances, transactions, and deferrals. We’ll provide and maintain required plan documents, summary plan descriptions and most regulatory notices.
  • Compliance testing7
    We perform nondiscrimination testing and manage required corrections as well as provide projected testing results throughout the year to help identify potential issues.
  • Safe Harbor plan design
    Safe Harbor 401(k) plans automatically satisfy most IRS nondiscrimination testing when certain requirements are met.8They require an employer contribution that immediately vests. Learn more
  • Fiduciary responsibilities
    For eligible plans, we serve as the ERISA 3(16)9 and 3(38) plan fiduciaries—which cover plan administration and investment management. This means we are legally (and morally) obligated to work in participants’ best interest.

Want more guidance?

  • 401(k) employer checklist
    Visit article

    401(k) provider checklist

  • 401(k) glossary
    Visit article

    401(k) tax credits

  • Building a benefits package
    Visit article

    Pricing plan comparison

Estimate your 401(k) plan costs with our calculator

Your company could be eligible to receive up to $16,500 in tax credits over the plan’s first three years to help offset initial plan costs.2

Invest in your team

With an intuitive dashboard and an award-winning mobile app11, it’s easy for your team to set up their account, track their progress and access resources— anytime, anywhere.
  • Easy account setup, via web or mobile app
  • Recommended investment portfolio
  • Retirement education and live support
Guideline mobile app portfolio screen.
Guideline mobile app portfolio screen.

Get set up in 20 minutes

We can walk you through the next steps.

Get started

  • 1

    Select a plan type

    The first decision is whether you want a Starter, Traditional, or Safe Harbor 401(k).

  • 2

    Add plan features

    Customize your plan with features like employer matching, eligibility requirements, and more.

  • 3

    Set a start date

    You can get a plan up and running in about 40 days.

Frequently asked questions

How many employees do you need to set up a 401(k)?

There is no minimum number of employees required when setting up a 401(k) with Guideline. You can set up a 401(k) with just an owner or for a single employee.

Can I set up a 401(k) for my LLC?

Yes, Guideline works with many different types of businesses and entity structures such as LLCs

What are the benefits of a 401(k) plan compared to other retirement options?

401(k) plans are popular because they offer a lot of flexibility in plan design options, integrate with payroll systems, and work as a great hiring tool.

When can our plan start?

While setting up a Guideline 401(k) only takes about 20 minutes, it generally takes about 40 days until first contributions are made. This is due to the automatic enrollment feature on all Guideline 401(k) plans. Generally, eligible employees cannot be automatically enrolled in your plan until 30 days after they receive notice of the auto-enroll feature. This gives them sufficient time to opt-out before the plan begins.

What is auto enrollment?

Auto enrollment is a required feature for all Guideline 401(k) plans. Auto enrollment can help improve IRS nondiscrimination testing results, increase employees’ retirement readiness, and much more. Learn more about auto enrollment

What fees are employers charged?

Employers will be charged a base fee of $39, $89, or $149/month depending on their pricing plan, plus $4-$8/month for each active participant in the plan. We don’t charge transaction fees—this includes no plan termination fees12 or Form 5500 prep fees5. See our pricing. Exclusive pricing options are available for Enterprise pricing plans.13Contact Sales for details.

Which employees are eligible to participate in the plan?

With Guideline, you can determine your plan eligibility based on your employees’ age and length of service with your company:

→ Age: 18, 19, 20, or 21 years
→ Length of service: 0, 3, 6, 12 months

We do not distinguish between part time and full time employees.

  • 1
    Employee contribution amount only available in the Core and Enterprise pricing tiers. May be adjusted annually to account for IRS cost-of-living adjustments. Learn more.
  • 2, †
    This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be taken as tax advice. Please consult a tax professional to determine what types of tax credits or deductions your company is eligible to claim.
  • 3

    Investment advisory services for Guideline’s 401(k) product (when 3(38) fiduciary services are appointed) and SEP IRA/IRA products are offered by Guideline Investments, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. An assumed annual account fee of 0.15% is applied to assets under management and is deducted on a monthly basis. It’s calculated at 1/12 of the annual stated rate (0.15%) based on the account balance on the last day of each month. Alternative account fee pricing is available, ranging from 0.15% to 0.35%. Contact Sales at hello@guideline.com to learn more about exclusive pricing options available in Enterprise tier. See the Form ADV 2A Brochure for more information regarding this fee.

  • 4
    The estimated total AUM fee of 0.22% combines the average fund fees for Guideline’s managed portfolios of 0.07% with an assumed account fee of 0.15%. Alternative account fee pricing is available, ranging from 0.15% to 0.35%. Contact Sales at hello@guideline.com to learn more about exclusive pricing options available in Enterprise tier. This information is provided for illustrative purposes only and the actual total AUM fees will vary based on the portfolio and/or funds selected. Guideline’s managed portfolios have blended expense ratios ranging from 0.067% to 0.069% of assets under management. Expense ratios for custom portfolios will vary. These expense ratios are subject to change by and paid to the fund(s). View full fund lineup. The assumed annual account fee applied to assets under management is deducted on a monthly basis. See our Form ADV 2A Brochure for more information regarding fees.
  • 5

    This information is for illustrative purposes only, and is not intended to be construed as investment or tax advice. Information shown here assumes a static balance of $10,000 per month, an assumed annual account fee of 0.08% on assets under management (calculated and deducted on a monthly basis at 1/12 of the annual stated rate (0.08%) based on the month-end account balance) and does not account for common factors that affect the value of your account balance over time such as gains, losses, distributions, additional contributions, etc. It’s not intended to be taken as investment advice or as an assurance or guarantee of future performance. The fee presented does not include other fees that an IRA owner may incur, including, but not limited to, from mutual fund expense ratios.

  • 6
    Third-party auditor fees will apply to large plans where an audit is required. These fees are not charged by Guideline.
  • 7
    All plans of related entities must be administered by Guideline in order to provide compliance testing.
  • 8
    In general, Safe Harbor 401(k) plans automatically satisfy Top Heavy requirements. One exception is for plan years in which the employer makes discretionary contributions (such as profit sharing contributions) in addition to Safe Harbor contributions. Removing Safe Harbor contributions mid-year will also require plans be subject to all compliance testing. All plans of related entities must be administered by Guideline in order to provide compliance testing.
  • 9

    Investment advisory services for Guideline’s 401(k) (when 3(38) fiduciary services are appointed) are offered by Guideline Investments, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. 3(16) fiduciary services are offered by Guideline RK, LLC and only made available to clients who utilize an eligible payroll provider. Guideline uses a third-party to provide custodial services. Custodial fees are paid by Guideline.

  • 10
    Offer is not available for certain payroll providers. Contact us for more information.
  • 11

    2024 Fast Company Innovation by Design Award Winner for Guideline's mobile application in the Mid-Size business category.

  • 12
    Guideline does not charge additional fees to close the plan, but the plan sponsor is responsible for paying the monthly fees until the plan has been terminated in accordance with applicable law, or until the plan has been transferred in full to another service provider.
  • 13

    See here for more information regarding Guideline's fees.

Guideline.com is owned and operated by Guideline, Inc. This website contains content from Guideline, Inc. and its affiliates, each a separate entity with different regulatory marketing requirements and standards. References to "our" or "we" on this website refer solely to Guideline RK, LLC unless otherwise specifically stated.

The information in this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be an offer, recommendation, investment advice, legal or tax advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any security. By using this website, you agree to Guideline, Inc.’s Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions of Use. Neither Guideline, Inc. nor its subsidiaries, are responsible for information provided by third parties. Information included herein from third parties is believed to be reliable however Guideline, Inc. does not guarantee the accuracy and completeness of that information.

Guideline, Inc. is a technology company that provides an integrated platform to companies who seek to work with 1) Guideline RK, LLC ("Guideline") and/or 2) Guideline Investments, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Adviser ("RIA"), both of which are wholly owned by Guideline Holdings, LLC. Guideline Holdings, LLC is wholly owned by Guideline, Inc. Neither Guideline, Inc. nor Guideline Holdings, LLC or Guideline RK, LLC is involved in securities activities and is not registered with the SEC or FINRA. Neither Guideline, Inc., nor any of its affiliates, is a bank.

Investment advisory services for Guideline’s 401(k) (when 3(38) fiduciary services are selected) and SEP IRA/IRA products are offered by Guideline Investments, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. For more information regarding fees and services, see Guideline Investments, LLC’s ADV 2A Brochure and Form CRS. References throughout this website to investment advisory services including but not limited to: investments offered, portfolios, managed portfolios, investment philosophy, assets under management (AUM), annual account fees expressed as a percentage of AUM, suitability questionnaire, 3(38) investment advisory management fiduciary services, robo-advisory services, and investment advice, unless otherwise specifically stated, are services provided by Guideline Investments, LLC. Investing involves risk and may lose money, including loss of principal. Investing is not guaranteed and past performance is not a guarantee of future performance. The investment options offered by Guideline Investments, LLC are not FDIC insured.

Recordkeeping services for Guideline’s 401(k) and SEP IRA/IRA products are offered by Guideline RK, LLC. 3(16) plan administration services are also offered by Guideline RK, LLC and only made available to clients who utilize an eligible payroll provider. For more information on Guideline’s pricing, see here. Guideline uses a third-party to provide custodial services. Custodial fees are paid by Guideline.

Any graphs, charts, and other visual aids (collectively referred to as "image(s)") are provided for information purposes only. None of these images can of themselves be used to make investment decisions. No representation is made that these will assist any person in making investment decisions and no image can capture all factors and variables required in making such decisions.

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