Meet California’s state retirement mandate with a simple, powerful Guideline 401(k).
Leave your email or give us a call to get started (888) 228-3491
See our Privacy Policy to learn how we use and protect your information.
businesses1
savers2
customer satisfaction score3
Fintech 504
CalSavers was established in 2016. It requires California employers with at least one employee to offer the state-sponsored plan or a qualified alternative like a Guideline 401(k) by December 31st of the year in which you become eligible.5 Compare your options
December 31, 2024
December 31, 2025
Meet the mandate and more with a Guideline 401(k)
Guideline will help you set up a 401(k) and enroll your employees for you. With CalSavers, you may have to do extra work on behalf of your employees during setup.
We’ll automatically deduct 401(k) contributions each pay run. With CalSavers, you may need to manually send payroll contributions, maintain employee records, and more.
We have your back — you and your team get access to fast, live support via phone and email. Our annual plan sponsor customer satisfaction score is 93%.3
Get back up to $16,500 in tax credits on your new 401(k).6
Retirement plan type
Starter 401(k)
Roth IRA
Maximum employee contributions for 20247
$6,000
$7,000
Employee asset-based fee
0.15%
($15 for every $10,000)8
0.30%
($30 for every $10,000)9
Additional active employee fees
None10
$18/year account fee
(charged quarterly at $4.50 each quarter)10
Monthly employer fee
$39 + $4 per participant
None
Investment options
40
17
(Including Target Date Funds)
Professionally managed portfolios
6
0
Employer match
No
No
Profit Sharing
No
No
All of our payroll integrations are direct and custom built — we don’t use 3rd party software to sync data. Data syncs every 24 hours with 99% accuracy.11 See all payroll integrations
Just like with the state offering, you won’t be responsible for investment option choices. We’ll serve as the ERISA 3(38) fiduciary which means we’re responsible for selecting and managing all investment options — our goal is to reduce your liability and provide you with peace of mind. Learn more
It was clear that there was also going to be a lot of paperwork and compliance stress. I really did not want to do that. It was worth it to me to find an alternative to the state programClient of Guideline. Views may not be representative of other clients.
Get a retirement plan you and your team will love
See our Privacy Policy to learn how we use and protect your information.
(888) 228-3491
9am - 7pm ET, Mon - Fri
The CalSavers Program was created to encourage more people to save for retirement. It requires California employers with at least 1 employee to provide access to a retirement plan. The plan can either be a private plan like a 401(k) or the state-sponsored plan.
For businesses with 5+ employees, the initial deadline has already passed. For newly established businesses or businesses that hire their 5th employee, the deadline is December 31st each year. For companies with 1-4 employees, the deadline is December 31, 2025.
You are eligible to participate in the CalSavers Program if:
Yes. Employers will be subject to a penalty equal to:
Yes. All of Guideline's 401(k) plans are designed to satisfy state program requirements and are priced to be affordable for businesses of all sizes. 13
While it is possible for a plan to convert from a Starter 401(k) to a standard 401(k) plan at Guideline, the transition cannot take place until the beginning of the next calendar year. Learn more here.