401(k) for small business in Country Life Acres, MO. Establishing a 401(k) plan for your small business in Country Life Acres, MO provides various benefits to both employers and employees, helping businesses offer more security and benefits to people in the job market. Beyond just attracting top talent, providing a 401(k) plan can also help both businesses and employees reduce their tax liability. But, some business owners may still be wary because of the time commitment, as well as the complexities of investment and financial regulations.
At Correct Capital Wealth Management, our Country Life Acres, MO financial planners and retirement consultants work with companies large and small to offer customized and effective 401(k) plans. We take the heavy financial lifting off your plate while you focus on making your business thrive. Call Correct Capital today at 314-930-401(k) or complete our online form to get started with creating a 401(k) for your small business in Country Life Acres, MO.
Do I Need a 401(k) For My Country Life Acres, MO Small Business?
Setting up and operating a 401(k) for a small business in Country Life Acres, MO has numerous benefits, for employers, your employees, and your business's bottom line:
- recruit and retain great employees — Providing a 401(k) plan can be an essential tool for recruiting and keeping top talent, especially in a competitive Country Life Acres, MO job market. Some employees will even quit their job over a 401(k), and offering one can help differentiate your business from competitors, especially if you offer 401(k)s to rank-and-file employees as well.
- Tax deductions — Both employers and employees can benefit from tax advantages with a 401(k) plan. Matching contributions employers make are tax deductible to the extent that the contributions do not surpass the annual corporate tax deduction limit on employer contributions, which is 25% of covered payroll. The federal government also offers tax credits when businesses first set up a 401(k) plan, and if the employer offers automatic enrollment. Employees can benefit from tax-deferred contributions and potentially reduce their taxable income.
- Increased financial security for employees — A retirement account allows employees to save for retirement through automatic contributions deducted from their paychecks. Greater financial security ultimately leads to more productivity.
- Reduced liability — Employers take on a fiduciary duty to their employees when they offer 401(k) plans, which involves a a deep level of investment knowledge and responsibilities. If you work with an ERISA 3(38) Fiduciary advisor to set up and manage your small business's 401(k), much of that liability will be placed on them.
- Ease of administration — When you offer your small business 401(k) plan with a 3(16) administrator, they'll take care of the critical tasks of employee education, compliance, and administrative tasks on your behalf, so you can benefit from the rewards of offering a plan without much hassle. Additionally, advisors can help integrate contributions with your payroll system for further simplicity. If an employee moves to a new company, they can easily rollover their 401(k) to a new retirement account without you having to do much work.
What 401(k) Plans Are Available to Small Businesses in Country Life Acres, MO?
Small businesses, depending on what type of company they are, can have anywhere from one to 1,500 employees. However many employees you have, there is a 401(k) plan that will work for you:
401(k) Plans
In any 401(k) plan, employees can contribute through money taken out of their paychecks. Most 401(k)s have a diversity of investments that may include mutual funds, index funds, bonds, and company stock. Employers can make matching contributions as an additional benefit to employees. Most 401(k) plans must abide by strict nondiscrimination requirements, and undergo yearly tests to ensure they remain compliant. The IRS mandates contribution limits each year; in 2023 that is $22,500, unless you are 50 or older, in which case the limit is $30,000.
Country Life Acres, MO employers with multiple employees have a few different options in how they set up their 401(k) plan:
- Traditional vs. Roth 401(k) Deferrals — Contributions made with a traditional deferral are taxed at different times than with a Roth deferral. With a traditional deferral, contributions are tax-deferred, meaning it is pre-tax money, and the employee can then deduct the amount deposited from their taxable income. Taxes are paid when the money is withdrawn.
With Roth deferrals, contributions are made with after-tax dollars, meaning the money grows tax-free and there are no taxes when the money's withdrawn, as long as the plan participant has had the account for five years and is 59-½ years old when the money is taken out. Roth 401(k)s are becoming more popular as they reduce tax liability in retirement.
- Safe Harbor Provision — If you opt for this provision, as a business owner you would be obligated to make contributions that are fully vested when made. There are four ways in which an employer can contribute:
- In a non-elective contribution, an employer must contribute 3% of each eligible employee's compensation to the plan, regardless of whether the employee chooses to contribute to the plan.
- With matching contributions, the employer must match 100% of each eligible employee's contributions up to 3% of their compensation, plus an additional 50% match on the next 2% of their compensation.
- Enhanced Safe Harbor plans provide a 100% employer match on up to 4% of an employee's compensation.
- In a Qualified Automatic Contribution Arrangement (QACA), employees are automatically enrolled in the plan and have a part of their pay contributed to the plan unless they choose to opt out or contribute a different amount. The automatic contribution rate starts at 3% and increases by 1% each year until it reaches a maximum of 6%, unless the employee decides on a different contribution rate.
In exchange for required employer contributions, Safe Harbor plans are not subject to nondiscrimination testing.
Solo or Individual 401(k) Plan
These are are meant for people who are self-employed, or a business where the only employee is a spouse. Contributions are tax deductible and the money is taxed when it's withdrawn. This type of retirement account allows individuals to make contributions both as an employer and as an employee, providing higher contribution limits than many other individual-based retirement plans. Unlike other 401(k) plans, individual 401(k)s do not require annual filings with the IRS unless the account balance exceeds $250,000.
What plan works best for your and your employees depends on your business and employees. If you're interested in setting up a 401(k) plan for your small Country Life Acres, MO business, schedule an appointment with a member of our team today to learn more about the benefits and options available to you.
How a Financial Advisor Can Help Your Country Life Acres, MO Small Business With Your 401(k) Plans
Given the great things a 401(k) plan can do for a small business, some Country Life Acres, MO employers may still be wary, as managing a 401(k) plan is complex and time-consuming. That’s where we come in. Here are some some of the many ways that a financial advisor can assist with your small business’s 401(k) plan:
- Plan design — A few quick internet searches can't come close to offering the same degree of skill and experience as a licensed advisory firm. Financial advisors can work with small business owners to create a 401(k) plan that meets the specific needs of their business and employees. They can help choose the plan that most benefits you, set up contribution and matching formulas, and establish eligibility requirements.
- Establishing and operating a plan — There are numerous requirements you must adhere to when beginning your small business 401(k). You must:
- Adopt a written plan document
- Arrange a trust fund for plan assets
- Develop a record keeping system
- Provide plan information to eligible employees
A financial advisory firm can do all of that for you, and handle the operation and annual reviews of your 401(k).
- Advertising your 401(k) plan to those in the job market — The term "401(k)" might show up on a job ad as a bullet point, but many in the job market don't fully understand what a 401(k) can do for them. We can connect the phrase "401(k)" to concrete images of a more secure retirement, with a clear road map of how to get there.
- Investment selection — Financial advisors who are an Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®) and are well versed in portfolio management will be able to offer market insight, as well as work within investment concepts such as diversification, risk tolerance, and rebalancing to best position employees' money for further growth.
- Employee education — Employees need to understand their plan in order to get the greatest reward from it. At Correct Capital, we offer both group classes and one-on-one counseling sessions with our small business clients' employees so feel at ease with the status of their retirement savings.
- Compliance — 401(k) plans have different rules and contribution limits. Not following the rules correctly can lead to harsh fees. A financial advisor can help to ensure your recordkeeper and plan administrator do not accidentally break with the regulations.
- Fiduciary responsibility — When offering a retirement plan, small business owners have a fiduciary duty to act with diligence, prudence, and care. We are ethically and legally mandated to do what's in your best interest, and in the best interest of your employees and their retirement accounts.
A financial advisor can provide considerable value to Country Life Acres, MO small business owners who are looking to establish a 401(k) plan. By working with a financial advisor, small business owners can provide a valuable benefit to their employees while also managing risk and ensuring the plan’s long-term success.
Call Correct Capital to Start a 401(k) For Your Small Business in Country Life Acres, MO
If you own a small business in Country Life Acres, MO, you want to focus on what you do best and what you're passionate about – not being bogged down by administrative tasks you may or may not be knowledgeable about. As a Registered Investment Advisor with CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professionals, Correct Capital can both help position your and your employees' money for growth while giving you peace of mind that your small business's 401(k) plan is being operated efficiently and correctly. To start setting up a 401(k) for your small Country Life Acres, MO business today, call Correct Capital at 314-930-401(k) or contact us online.
