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Powered by Guideline. Connected with QuickBooks.

See how our 401(k) plans and tools can meet your business needs and your budget.1

Starter 401(k) | Safe Harbor 401(k) | Tax credit calculator | State mandate finder

  • 1

    Connect with QuickBooks

  • 2

    Choose your plan

  • 3

    Complete setup

Get started

See our Privacy Policy to learn how we use and protect your information.2

401(k) Conversion Plans
Traditional IRA, Rollovers and Roth IRA
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How payroll and a 401(k) work together

Our platform will securely sync your QuickBooks Payroll and Guideline 401(k) data every 24 hours — automating payroll deductions, employee onboarding, and more.3

  • Seamless plan management

    401(k) contributions are automatically deducted each pay run. No need to maintain deductions or manually re-enter payroll data.

  • Easy employee onboarding

    When employees become eligible to join the plan, we’ll notify and enroll them on your behalf — and provide full support along the way.
  • Predictable employer costs
  • Exempt from IRS testing
  • State mandate compliant

Meet the Starter 401(k)

Starter is our newest pricing tier and provides a simplified benefit at an affordable price. It was designed to qualify as a Starter 401(k) — a new type of retirement plan introduced by Congress in 2022.4 Learn more
Safe Harbor can help you and your team
80% of our QuickBooks customers choose to open a Safe Harbor plan.5 These popular plans require an employer contribution like a 401(k) match, but in exchange, they satisfy most IRS nondiscrimination tests.6
Learn more about Safe Harbor
  • Compliance protections
  • Less admin time7
  • Maximized savings

Guideline 401(k) plans start at $39/month, plus $4 per participant.

See pricing

Calculator

Estimate your plan costs

If you’re starting a new 401(k), your small business may be eligible to receive up to $16,500 in tax credits over the plan’s first three years to help offset initial plan costs.8
Have a state mandate? We have your back.
Find your state’s requirements and deadlines. A Guideline 401(k) can help you meet your mandate and more.4

Guideline at a glance

  • 60K+
    business clients9
  • $15B+
    invested for retirement on our platform9
  • Fintech 50
    Forbes 202210
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Get set up in as little as 5 minutes
Explore plans

Contact us

  • 1
    401(k) offerings are provided and administered by Guideline, an independent third party and not provided by QuickBooks. QuickBooks is not a 401(k) plan administrator, fiduciary or other provider.
  • 2
    By selecting “Get started,” you agree for Intuit to share certain company data with Guideline to begin your Guideline 401(k) plan setup, subject to Intuit's Third-Party Data Sharing Policy and the terms presented to you during the setup process.
  • 3
    Based on Guideline internal analytics as of May 2025
  • 4
    The information is general in nature and is for informational purposes only. You are advised to consult a qualified financial adviser or tax professional before relying on the information provided herein. Requirements to report your exemption may apply. State program details are subject to change by the state without notice and should be checked prior to making any decisions.
  • 5
    Based on Guideline internal research as of July 2024.
  • 6
    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.
  • 7
    Research insights based on data collected in May 2023, from a survey conducted by Guideline that consisted of 73 current customers (34 of whom had a Safe Harbor 401k plan) Though the survey is broad in scope, the experiences of the respondents in this survey may not be representative of all companies.
  • 8
    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.
  • 9
    Total number of Savers, both active and non-active, that have participated in Guideline products from 2016-2024.
  • 10
    Forbes’ Most Innovative Fintech Companies of 2022

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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