Your new 401(k) could be 100% covered

With thousands of dollars in tax credits available, your 401(k) plan costs don’t have to break the bank.

See the credits you may qualify for with a Guideline 401(k).

Calculate my tax savings
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Businesses have been conditioned to believe that offering a 401(k) is expensive and overly complicated. Guideline proves it doesn't have to be this way.Client of Guideline. Views may not be representative of other clients.
3 tax credits that could offset your 401(k) costs
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    Startup credit

    You can claim up to $5,000 for the first three years to help cover the cost to offer a plan, reducing your business' federal income tax liability on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
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    Auto-enrollment credit

    Adding auto-enrollment to your company's plan could earn your business a tax credit of $500 per year for the first three years. All Guideline plan tiers qualify for this credit.
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    Employer contribution credit

    Small businesses that choose to offer an employer contribution in a new 401(k) plan could be eligible for up to $1,000 in tax credits per eligible employee.

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See how little a 401(k) can cost

Use our calculator to explore the cost of starting a new 401(k), and how tax credits can help offset up to 100% of plan costs.1

Pay it forward. Get a tax break.

A competitive employee package isn’t just about salary—it’s about security, stability, and the future. Offering a 401(k) - especially one with a match - tells employees you’re invested in their long-term success. Plus, there’s a lot of upside for your business too.
  • Compete for top talent with an employer match
  • Simplify plan admin with a Safe Harbor plan
  • Unlock the employer contribution credit
  • Lower your taxable business income
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See why 50,000+ businesses trust Guideline
With a Guideline 401(k), you can provide an impactful benefit while minimizing paperwork and fees.

  • Better for you

    All-in-one 401(k) experience

    Our plans include the services and features needed for a great benefit. Guideline handles admin tasks for you, while automating your 401(k) management with custom-built payroll integrations.

    Explore pricing plans

  • Better for your team

    Seamless and supportive savings experience

    With a guided saving experience, award-winning mobile app, and up to 6x lower fees2 than the industry average, it’s easy for your employees to make the most of every dollar saved for retirement.

    Explore our investment offerings

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Unlock tax credit savings for free

We’ve partnered with MainStreet to help Guideline plan sponsors claim 401(k) tax credits for free3. Mainstreet’s team of tax code specialists can do the heavy lifting and help your business unlock savings. Learn more about MainStreet

  • AI-powered search

    MainStreet’s AI-enhanced system will scan 77,000 pages of tax code to identify the credits you’re eligible for.

  • Prepared paperwork

    They’ll then provide the paperwork for your businesses to include in next year’s tax filing.

Frequently asked questions

Why are there so many different 401(k) tax credits?

To make retirement benefits more accessible, Congress established retirement plan tax credits under the SECURE Act in 2019, which was then expanded with the SECURE 2.0 Act in 2022. These tax credits were introduced to help offset the costs of offering a 401(k), and in the case of the Employer contribution credit, offer an employer match to encourage employee participation and boost savings.

Why do all Guideline plans qualify for the auto-enrollment credit?

All 401(k) plans at Guideline include an auto-enrollment feature. For employees setting up a 401(k) for the first time, it can feel intimidating. Automatic enrollment helps takes indecisiveness and procrastination out of the picture and provide a seamless path to retirement savings.

SECURE 2.0 introduced the Auto-Enrollment credit, which offers businesses who include auto-enrollment as a feature of their plan $1,500 over the first 3 years of the plan.

Additionally, SECURE 2.0 included a provision that now requires all plans established after December 29, 2022 to include an automatic enrollment feature.

Does the employer contribution credit cover all employer contributions over the first 5 years?

The employer contribution credit has limits that change over the first 5 years of the plan. Please see IRS guidelines for more information.

Are there any additional potential tax savings?

Certain small businesses may be eligible for an additional tax credit for employing the spouse of a member of the US armed forces, up to $300 for the first 3 years of the military spouse’s participation in the plan. Learn more

How do I claim these tax credits?

Eligible employers should fill out IRS Form 8881 to file and claim these tax credits. Please consult a tax advisor for more information.

Take advantage of tax credits.
Get started with Guideline today.

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  • 1
    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.
  • 2
    This information is provided for illustrative purposes only, and is not intended to be taken as investment or tax advice. Consult a qualified tax and financial advisor to determine the appropriate investment strategy for you. The average investment expense of plan assets for 401(k) plans with 25 participants and $250,000 in assets is 1.26% of assets, according to the 25th Edition of the 401k Averages Book, with data updated through September 30, 2024, and is inclusive of investment management fees, fund expense ratios, 12b-1 fees, sub-transfer agent fees, contract charges, wrap and advisor fees or any other asset based charges. Investment advisory services for Guideline’s 401(k) product (when 3(38) fiduciary services are appointed) and SEP IRA/IRA products are offered by Guideline Investments, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. The managed portfolios have blended expense ratios ranging from 0.058% to 0.061% of assets under management. When combined with an assumed account fee of 0.15% charged by Guideline Investments, LLC, the estimated total AUM fees for one of the managed portfolios can be under 0.22%. Alternative account fee pricing is available ranging from 0.15% to 0.35%. Contact Sales at hello@guideline.com to learn more about exclusive pricing options available in the Enterprise tier. See the Form ADV 2A Brochure for more information regarding fees. Expense ratios for custom portfolios will vary. These expense ratios are subject to change by and paid to the fund(s).View full fund lineup.
  • 3
    Guideline is not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or compensated by the company listed, and their subsidiaries or its affiliates. Nor, does Guideline endorse or recommend any of the services or products marketed by this company. Please contact a financial, tax, and/or legal advisor to determine if any of these vendors or their applications and products are appropriate for your specific circumstance.

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