Keystone Saves Program vs. Guideline 401(k)

Stay ahead of Pennsylvania's retirement mandate with a simple, powerful Guideline 401(k).

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50K+

businesses1

1M+

savers2

93%

customer satisfaction score3

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Innovation by Design Award 20244

The mandate in a nutshell

A bill for the Keystone Saves Program is currently in review with the state legislature. When legislation has passed, Pennsylvania employers can choose to opt into the state-sponsored plan or a qualified alternative like a Guideline 401(k).5

The Pennsylvania mandate is coming - let’s get you ready

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    20-minute setup

    Guideline will help you set up a 401(k) and enroll your employees for you. With Keystone Saves Program, you may have to do extra work on behalf of your employees during setup.

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    Seamless administration

    We’ll automatically deduct 401(k) contributions each pay run. With Keystone Saves Program, you may need to manually send payroll contributions, maintain employee records, and more.

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    Fast, live support

    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

See if you’re eligible

Custom integrations. Quick resolutions.

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.7 See all payroll integrations

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Investments are our responsibility8

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.8 Learn more

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Estimate your plan costs

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.6

Cliff J. North Valley Counseling
My team is super happy, and I’m happy that I had an alternative to the state program.Client of Guideline. Views may not be representative of other clients.

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Keystone Saves Program FAQs

What is the mandate?

The Keystone Saves Program was created to encourage more people to save for retirement. Once enacted, it will allow Pennsylvania employers to choose to opt into the program to provide their employees access to a retirement plan. The plan can either be a private plan like a 401(k) or the state-sponsored plan.

When does the mandate take effect?

Legislation for the program is currently undergoing approval.

Which employers are impacted by the retirement mandate?

You are eligible to participate in Keystone Saves Program if:

  • Your business is registered to conduct business in the state of Pennsylvania for 15 months
  • You have at least five or more Pennsylvania based employees
  • You don’t currently offer a qualified retirement savings program to your employees

Does Guideline satisfy the retirement mandate?

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.

Can I move from Guideline Starter to a standard 401(k)?

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.