Reduce work + boost savings with Safe Harbor
Set up a seamless Safe Harbor 401(k) with no base fees for 3 months.1
Set up a seamless Safe Harbor 401(k) with no base fees for 3 months.1
73% of our 401(k) customers chose to open a Safe Harbor plan in 2023.2 These popular plans require an employer contribution like a 401(k) match, but in exchange, they satisfy most
IRS nondiscrimination tests.
Jeri Alcock
Rose City Philanthropy
Client of Guideline. Views may not be representative of other clients.
Administrative work on a Guideline Safe Harbor 401(k) takes less than 30 minutes a month for most plan sponsors.3
Everyone can get a savings boost with an employer contribution. And highly compensated employees can max out their deferrals.
Stronger benefits can help attract and retain talent — Guideline Safe Harbor plans have an 85% participation rate.4
Add Safe Harbor matching provisions to your existing 401(k) for next year by November 22. Once added, we’ll send 30-day notices to employees before the provisions take effect for 2025.
Nov. 22, 2024
Dec. 1, 2024
Jan. 2025
Open a new Safe Harbor 401(k) plan today and start saving this year.
Our all-in-one 401(k) plans5 come with low monthly costs and no transaction fees — and include the key features you need at no additional cost.3
Unlike traditional 401(k) plans, Safe Harbor 401(k) plans get certain “safe harbor” protections and automatically satisfy most IRS nondiscrimination tests. In exchange, companies must contribute to their employees’ 401(k). Compare 401(k) plans.
Safe Harbor plans offer simplified administration compared to traditional 401(k) plans. That means less time and effort spent on plan management. If you’re already considering offering an employer match, a Safe Harbor plan could be a good option that can maximize savings and help with employee retention and recruitment.
Nondiscrimination testing is required by the IRS to help ensure that 401(k) plans benefit both owners and employees. But even the most well-intentioned business owner can run into trouble when sponsoring a 401(k) plan. An owner contributing too much or employees contributing too little can result in a failed test and expensive corrections.7
The last day to add Safe Harbor matching provisions to your 401(k) with Guideline is Nov. 20, 2024.
The deadline to add an at least 3% Safe Harbor nonelective provision to your 401(k) plan is Dec. 1, 2024. In order to adopt this provision, you’ll need to request an amendment by Nov. 5, 2024. If you want to add this provision to your plan after the Dec. 1 deadline but before the end of the following year, the employer contribution must be at least 4%.