8%
EE deferral
HR & Payroll
Solo 401(k) · SEP · SIMPLE · 401(k)
Set up a retirement plan. Tax savings + employee benefit.
Retirement plans give business owners and employees tax-advantaged savings. The right plan depends on company size and goals: Solo 401(k) for owner-only ($69,000 contribution limit), SEP-IRA for very small companies (simple, $69,000), SIMPLE IRA for small-mid ($16,000 employee + match), traditional 401(k) for 10+ employees ($23,000 employee + employer match). We help pick the right plan and connect to custodian.
How it works
How we handle Retirement Plan Setup, end-to-end.
Retirement plans give business owners and employees tax-advantaged savings.
1
Plan selection
Solo 401(k): owner + spouse only, highest limit, most flexibility. SEP-IRA: any size, simple, employer-only contributions. SIMPLE IRA: 100 or fewer employees, employee + match. Traditional 401(k): 10+ employees, full flexibility.
2
Custodian matching
Solo 401(k): Fidelity, Vanguard, Schwab, eTrade. SEP-IRA: same plus most brokers. SIMPLE IRA: Vanguard, Fidelity. 401(k): Guideline, ForUsAll, Human Interest, Vestwell, traditional admins (Fidelity, Help).
3
Plan documents
Adoption agreement (defines plan terms), Summary Plan Description (for employees), trust documents. We work with the custodian's standard templates for most setups.
4
Payroll integration
Plan deductions integrate with your payroll (Gusto, ADP, QuickBooks, Rippling). We coordinate the integration so contributions flow automatically.
What we'll set up for you
A clean handoff, in four steps.
You give us the basics. We handle the state, the IRS, and the compliance clock so you can focus on the business.
01 · Name + Brand
A name that's actually available.
Real-time check against the state register, USPTO trademark database, and matching domains.
02 · State filing
Filed with the Secretary of State.
We submit your Articles, pay the state fee on your behalf, and return the stamped certificate.
03 · Federal IDs
EIN + the right tax setup.
Federal Employer ID with the IRS, plus state tax accounts when your business needs them.
04 · Stay compliant
Registered Agent + deadline tracking.
Your agent on file in every state, with every renewal and annual report tracked in one calendar.
Pricing
Transparent retirement plan setup pricing.
Government fees pass through at cost. No upsells.
Solo 401(k) / SEP-IRA
$499
Owner-only plan setup.
Plan selection, custodian matching, account opening, payroll integration. For solo entrepreneurs or owner + spouse businesses.
Get startedSIMPLE / 401(k) setup
$999
Small employer plan setup.
Plan selection, custodian/admin matching (Guideline, ForUsAll, Human Interest), plan documents, payroll integration, employee enrollment kickoff.
Get startedOngoing administration
$299
Annual coordination.
Annual subscription for ongoing plan administration: Form 5500 filing for SIMPLE/401(k), Safe Harbor notices, plan amendment as laws change, contribution reconciliation.
Get started FAQ
About the Retirement Plan Setup Service.
What retirement plans can a small business offer?
Options range from a simple SEP IRA or SIMPLE IRA to a Solo 401(k) for owner-only businesses and a full 401(k) with employees, each with different contribution limits and administration. The right plan depends on your size and goals. We keep your entity organized so setting one up is manageable.
What is a Solo 401(k)?
A Solo 401(k) is a retirement plan for a business with no employees other than the owner and spouse, allowing high combined contributions as both employee and employer, which makes it powerful for profitable solo owners. We flag how your entity and income affect the contributions so you use it well.
What is a SEP IRA?
A SEP IRA lets a business make tax-deductible contributions to owner and employee retirement accounts, with high limits and simple administration, which suits self-employed people and small businesses wanting an easy plan. We flag how it fits your entity and whether a Solo 401(k) may be better.
Which plan should I choose?
It depends on whether you have employees, how much you want to contribute, and how much administration you accept: solo owners often use a Solo 401(k) or SEP, while businesses with staff consider a SIMPLE or full 401(k). We flag the trade-offs so you pick a plan that fits.
What are the tax benefits of a retirement plan?
Contributions are generally tax-deductible to the business or reduce the owner's taxable income, and the accounts grow tax-deferred, so a plan is both a savings and a tax-planning tool. We flag how it interacts with your entity and any S-corp election.
Does an S-corp change my retirement options?
It can: an S-corp owner's contributions are based on their W-2 salary, which affects how much a Solo 401(k) or SEP allows, so the salary and plan interact. We flag this so your S-corp and retirement plan are coordinated for the best result.
Can I offer a plan to employees?
Yes: once you have employees, plans like a SIMPLE IRA or a 401(k) let you contribute for them too, which aids retention, though they add administration and sometimes matching. We flag the options so a growing business chooses a plan that fits its team.
When should I set up a plan?
Often once the business is profitable enough to contribute meaningfully, since the tax and savings benefits scale with what you put in, and some plans must be established by year-end. We flag the timing so you set one up in time to benefit for the year.
Can File.Business help me set up for a retirement plan?
We form and organize the entity, flag how retirement-plan options and contributions interact with your structure and any S-corp election, and keep your setup clean, so establishing a plan is straightforward, coordinating with a financial provider for the plan itself.
SOC 2 Type II audited
220,000+ businesses. 60-day money-back. State fees passed through at cost.
Your operating system, not a transaction
Every deadline auto-tracked across your entities. Compliance Score visible year-round.
Transparent pricing
No hidden fees. No upsells at checkout. State fees disclosed upfront.